Since Han Zhengqing intended to act, he naturally made thorough preparations early on. He had long anticipated that the eunuch coming to deliver the imperial edict would not arrive unprepared—just as his trusted advisors had said, once the court became suspicious of him, they would certainly have contingency plans.
If he submitted to the court’s decision and returned to the capital, he definitely would not be able to return unscathed. But if he refused to go, the court naturally had its own methods of dealing with him. They had discussed this beforehand and ultimately discovered that the court’s available tactics were actually quite limited—nothing more than two options: first, having Marquis Dingyuan join with the Supervising Censor to convict him of crimes; second, to seek out Cui Shaoting, the Supreme Commander of the Three Borders, to take charge.
Regarding the first option, last night he had already summoned his vice generals and others together. Marquis Dingyuan had just arrived and was no match for him at all. As for the second option, it came down to the same point—Datong was his territory. His ancestors had guarded this place for generations, for decades. His control over Datong could not be shaken even by Cui Shaoting’s several years of maneuvering in Xibei.
Therefore, when Marquis Dingyuan now spoke these words, Han Zhengqing burst out laughing. Though he was laughing, his eyes grew cold, and the curve at the corners of his mouth made people panic just looking at it. The eunuch delivering the edict already had some bad premonitions. His eyes widened and he was just about to speak when he heard Han Zhengqing laugh again.
“This marquis has already said it—it’s not that this marquis refuses to obey the edict, but truly because circumstances force it. Since ancient times, when a general is abroad, military orders need not always be obeyed. Right now the Tartars are invading our borders, the common people are being captured. If your humble servant knew of this situation, he certainly could not bear it in his heart—”
Marquis Dingyuan was too lazy to waste words with him. He clasped his hands behind his back and gave him a cold glance: “The way you speak makes it sound as if Datong belongs to you. Although this marquis has not guarded Datong, his ancestors likewise rose through military merit and likewise guarded Yunnan for many years. If the marquis is worried about the safety of the common people, if you’re worried about Datong City, then there’s no need whatsoever.” He surveyed the circle of officers large and small who were utterly loyal to Han Zhengqing and said meaningfully: “This marquis will say this plainly—as long as this marquis is here, I definitely will not let the Tartars advance one step into our borders!”
He had come bearing secret orders and would not be deceived by Han Zhengqing’s honeyed words and clever rhetoric. Seeing that everyone remained silent for a moment, he looked at Han Zhengqing: “Although it’s said that when a general is abroad, military orders need not be obeyed, it’s equally true that when the sovereign commands a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die.”
The eunuch finally reacted as well, tremblingly crying out: “Marquis Jinxiang, do you actually intend to defy the imperial edict!”
Han Zhengqing truly did intend to defy the edict. He immediately ordered those around him: “Close the doors and shut the gates! The imperial envoy has come from afar—naturally we should treat him well!”
From this moment on, even that thin veneer of pretense was abandoned.
Marquis Dingyuan’s martial skills were truly excellent. His years in Yunnan had not been spent in vain. Even Han Zhengqing took quite a loss at his hands, being stabbed in the left shoulder.
But two fists could not defeat four hands. Han Zhengqing covered his shoulder and retreated behind his private soldiers, watching Marquis Dingyuan fend off the private troops, a cold sneer overflowing on his face.
The sudden turn of events caught people off guard. Those who were not Han Zhengqing’s confidants and hadn’t received advance notice all stood frozen in place. After realizing what Han Zhengqing was doing, their faces all went white.
Han Zhengqing truly left them no way out. Today he had used the excuse of the Tartars knocking at the gates to gather all these people together precisely to purge those who differed from him. The prepared vice generals and others then tied up all these subordinate officers.
A physician Han Zhengqing kept quickly came forward to staunch his bleeding and apply medicine. Han Zhengqing’s eyes never left Marquis Dingyuan’s direction. He hadn’t expected that while the old Marquis Dingyuan was formidable in military strategy but lacking in martial arts, his son, the current Marquis Dingyuan, turned out to be a martial practitioner. No wonder he was childhood brothers with Prince Zhennan.
Thinking of Prince Zhennan, Han Zhengqing’s eyes darkened slightly. Just as his attention wandered for that instant, a thunderous boom came from outside the room. His ears were nearly deafened. Just as he was about to stand up, a powerful gust of wind had already struck.
Fortunately, having lived by the blade for years, he instinctively tilted his head to the side, narrowly dodging this strike. When he steadied himself and looked to see who had come, he finally made out the person’s identity.
It was none other than Lu Ran, the mole he had planted beside Cui Shaoting after Yang Xuan’s death.
Han Zhengqing’s expression, which hadn’t changed even when he was wounded earlier, finally changed. His anger was evident—what he hated most in his life was betrayal, and the person before him was a trusted confidant he had cultivated for many years!
Lu Ran had no time to spare for Han Zhengqing. Seeing that Marquis Dingyuan had cleverly taken advantage of the disturbance he’d created to leap out through the window, he too sprang up and flipped out through the window.
Thanks to Han Zhengqing’s trust, he was extremely familiar with Datong, and even more familiar with Han Zhengqing’s residence. At this moment, leading Marquis Dingyuan and the group of men he had brought with him, he quickly evaded the patrolling guards and escaped through the side gate.
Han Zhengqing’s fury lasted only an instant. After coming to his senses, he ordered people to search the entire city for Marquis Dingyuan and Lu Ran, while he himself immediately summoned his illegitimate son Han Yang.
“You’re going to make a trip to Taiyuan.” Han Zhengqing still had bloodstains on his shoulder and hadn’t even changed his clothes before giving orders to his son: “No need to bring tokens or letters. You yourself are my token.”
Han Yang had been born in Datong and raised at Han Zhengqing’s side all along. Though a year younger than Han Zhi, because he had grown up in the military, he had picked up quite a bit of a soldier’s rough manner. He first asked about his father’s injury: “Which blind fool dared lay hands on Father? This young master will slaughter him!”
His father was the local tyrant of Datong, so he was naturally the young tyrant. Anyone who dared make a move on their territory simply didn’t want to live.
Han Zhengqing coughed once, his eyes turning toward him. Han Yang immediately became obedient again, lowering his brows and eyes as he stood in place with his hands hanging at his sides.
“This matter is of grave importance. Every single word I tell you, you must remember clearly—crystal clear. Otherwise, don’t bother coming back alive to see me.” Seeing his frivolous son finally grow serious, Han Zhengqing then said: “I’m going to kill Marquis Dingyuan.”
Marquis Dingyuan was sent by the court to take over his father’s military authority—he knew this. But precisely because he knew it, Han Yang’s eyebrows twitched.
“The court will not let me live, so if I want to survive, I can only do this. The rights and wrongs of it all, I cannot explain clearly to you. You only need to understand that you are my son. If I die, you will certainly be implicated. But likewise, if I succeed, your future ennoblement as prince and marquis will be easily within reach.”
Han Yang finally confirmed it—his father truly intended to rebel. He couldn’t help but stammer: “But… but…”
But his father at most had only the hundred-thousand-some troops garrisoned at Datong. How could these people contend with the court?
The corners of Han Zhengqing’s mouth curved in a smile of certain victory: “I know what you’re worried about. No need to worry—I’ve already thought it through. That’s precisely why you need to make this trip to Taiyuan.”