Chapter 155: Isn’t He Completely at His Mercy?

Chapter 155: Isn't He Completely at His Mercy?

Two days after He An and Ji Lingchuan reached Qizhou, the 20,000 troops dispatched from the Jiangnan garrison also arrived, and the reason for deploying the troops was to search for Prince Chen.

Before arriving in Qizhou, Prince Chen's disappearance had to be kept secret. Now in Qizhou, with Prince Chen still missing, a large-scale search was imperative.

The prince's safety was paramount and could not be overlooked.

In a manor outside Qizhou city, Pei Chong knelt in the hall: "I have failed in my duties, Your Highness. I beg for your forgiveness."

Prince Chen gently rubbed his temples: "What progress have you made since arriving in Qizhou?"

"Upon receiving Your Highness's secret order, I ceased the hurried sale of stored grain, which is now securely hidden."

"And what about Suzhou?"

"Following the Suzhou prefect's suicide, the court has delayed appointing a successor, leaving a local magistrate in temporary charge."

Prince Chen's expression turned serious: "Send a trustworthy individual to Suzhou."

"Yes," Pei Chong accepted the order.

Prince Chen's arrival in Qizhou had upended all original plans. Pei Chong surmised that Prince Chen aimed to leverage the situation for a resurgence, enabling him to reclaim military authority. Achieving military success would bolster Prince Chen's influence, potentially restoring the Pei family's former glory.

Prince Chen had pondered extensively during his journey.

The present was indeed a strategic moment. While seizing Jiangnan fell short of conquering all of Dongzhao, it surpassed remaining in the capital under constant constraints.

However, the stigma of rebellion was severe. Proceeding would brand him as disloyal, unrighteous, and unfilial for generations.

Yet, what choice did he have?

Great achievements demand overlooking minor details.

With his father's suspicion intensifying, returning to the capital would mean constant vigilance, complicating any further plans.

Yet, he remained somewhat indecisive about the final decision. Once the arrow was loosed, there was no retrieving it.

"Your Highness, it's bad news. The Prime Minister and General He have transferred 5,000 troops from the Jiangnan garrison to Qizhou, saying that Your Highness is missing and they are conducting a full-scale search."

Prince Chen's fury erupted, shattering the teacup in his hand. This He An—no wonder he hadn't rushed to find him after leaving the inn first; he had been biding his time here.

In the past, transferring some troops from the Jiangnan garrison wouldn't have been a big deal.

But this year, his father had replaced two garrison commanders, showing his determination to consolidate power, which had disrupted his long-standing plans.

It seemed he still had to go to Qizhou and coax these troops back first.

**

After Prince Chen entered the city, the news he received made him even more furious. He An had privately ordered the transfer of stored grain from Qizhou to the Jiangnan garrison camp.

A thousand dan of grain had been transported right under his nose?

Prince Chen roared in the government office: "Where is he? Where is He An?"

"Your Highness, the Prime Minister has led 5,000 elite troops to transport the grain."

"So, the Jiangnan garrison has returned?"

"Not exactly. The Prime Minister took away the Qizhou garrison, a total of 5,000 men, all taken away."

Prince Chen was speechless.

"He An, you’ve really outdone yourself."

Pei Chong: "Your Highness, why not use this to report him? Privately mobilizing troops from various regions is a serious crime. If the Emperor finds out..."

"You don’t get it. Do you think someone like He An would act so recklessly?" Prince Chen, though angry, did not lose his rationality. "This is probably something he and my father cooked up."

Mentioning this, Prince Chen felt increasingly disappointed.

"I’m the prince, so why does my father trust an outsider over me?"

**

On the way to Jiangnan, Ji Lingchuan was grinning from ear to ear: "Do you think Prince Chen would be so mad he’d see red if he knew you privately diverted the grain reserves from Qizhou?"

"The grain reserves in Qizhou are far more than this, but he would never expect that as soon as we entered the city, we would mobilize troops and transport grain, taking him by surprise."

Ji Lingchuan was in high spirits: "I bet Prince Chen’s steaming in Qizhou right now."

He An wasn’t one to get carried away: "Prince Chen is not a fool. His military strength is not solely dependent on these garrison troops. I think he must be hesitant now, as starting a coup would be treason."

"The Emperor might not let him get away with it."

Ji Lingchuan: "I’ve never backed down from a fight. If Prince Chen dares to rebel, besides Jiangnan, we can also mobilize the fifty thousand garrison troops from Longxi Town."

"Longxi is a crucial border area. We can’t touch them unless it’s a last resort." He An pondered: "We can’t let foreign powers catch wind of our troubles. If someone takes advantage of the chaos, Dongzhao would be caught in a pincer attack."

As a general, Ji Lingchuan naturally knew this: "To stop Prince Chen, we need to secure Jiangnan first."

He An nodded: "Send someone to Lucheng as a precaution."

Even though the private soldiers were dealt with, we can’t let them regroup.

**

The next night, He Hongzhi came to see Ruan Qinghuan again with two attendants.

At this moment, her emotions had calmed down: "Master He, do you have good news for me?"

"What you want to know, I have already sent someone to deliver the message. It’s time to keep your end of the deal and hand over the silver."

"Don’t worry, Master. Once I see my husband, the silver’s yours."

"Ruan Xiaoyue, you’ve got it all wrong. Do you still think you are the wife of the city defense commander?" He Hongzhi had been troubled by the Zhou family's affairs recently, and his patience had worn thin: "You are just the woman of a traitor. Even if I kill you, no one would care."

"Is that so? If that’s the case, why hasn’t Master He acted yet?" Ruan Xiaoyue was fearless: "It won’t be long before Jiang Jie, the Vice Minister of Justice, hears I’m in your hands. Do you think he will come to demand my release?"

He Hongzhi took a deep breath: "You’re really asking for trouble."

Seeing He Hongzhi stand up, Ruan Xiaoyue breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could fully relax, a bad feeling crept in.

He Hongzhi left, but the attendant who had searched her the previous night remained, on guard: "What do you want?"

"What do I want?"

The man pulled a whip from his waist and placed a porcelain bottle heavily on the table: "To help Master get what he wants, of course."

As he spoke, he walked closer, grabbed Ruan Xiaoyue's chin, and forced her to look up: "Hand over the two million taels, and you’ll save yourself the pain. Otherwise..."

Ruan Xiaoyue used all her strength to break free from his grip, falling to the ground: "Not a chance. I won’t hand over the silver until I see my husband... Ah..."

Before she could finish, she was thrown onto the bed: "You asked for it."

Screams and the sound of whipping frequently came from the room. He Hongzhi, standing outside the courtyard, muttered: "This guy is ruthless enough, but he's too lustful. He better not ruin my plans. If he kills her, it’ll be a disaster."

"Don't worry, sir. The drug he has is very potent. No matter how tight-lipped the woman is, he can get her to talk."

"That's good."

What can the Ruan family do?

Even with the prime minister's backing, aren't they still at his mercy to twist them however he wants?