Chapter 104

Chapter 104

They really withdrew.

Marquis Cen'an's army ebbed away like the tide. Inside and outside the city, Jiangnan officials could not believe that the mighty force at the city gates had actually retreated. As soon as Marquis Cen'an withdrew, Prince Jin's troops quickly advanced, and Old General Chen was not far behind, immediately ordering a seal-off of all exits from Huaizhou City.

Inside Huaizhou City, the uproar of the people had not yet subsided. Prince Jin, observing the situation, knew that the Fei family's foundation in Jiangnan was substantial. To undermine the Jiangnan literati's support for them, Huaizhou City was only the beginning.

"Trial!!!"

"Don't let the Fei family escape!"

"Shopkeeper Liu and his family of three were all killed by bandits—"

The army outside the city had withdrawn, but chaos must not break out within the city.

Prince Jin immediately ordered his men to calm the crowd. Zhang Wuyong and others from the Jiangnan officialdom had already arrived. Ying Fusheng looked at the situation both inside and outside the city. "Uncle, you know what to do next."

"Men, take the traitors to the Huaizhou Prefecture office. The Governor of Yingtian has arrived here. Today, we'll hold a public trial!" Prince Jin ordered.

The crimes of the Fei family, the innocent civilians who died, the unresolved grievances...

The Fei family members were dragged away by officials like drowned rats. The people gathered at the city gate followed them to the Huaizhou Prefectural Office. Ying Fusheng came down from the city wall, staggering as he landed, and was immediately supported by someone.

When Qi Hanzhou touched Ying Fusheng's hand, he felt the heat from his wrist. After being chased and then hurrying to the city gate, Ying Fusheng's body, despite recent careful recuperation, had been strained by such exertion.

Ying Fusheng turned and saw the person beside him. "Qi Hanzhou."

Qi Hanzhou reached out and tightened the wind-blown cloak a bit. "Do you know you have a fever?"

Ying Fusheng snapped back to reality. "I'm fine."

It was just a fever; he felt no other discomfort.

But as he met Qi Hanzhou's gaze, he sensed something different in his eyes. Qi Hanzhou looked at him seriously for a moment, then pulled the hood of his cloak up to shield him from the wind atop the city wall.

"Escort His Highness away," Qi Hanzhou said.

Ye Xuanjiu appeared and escorted Ying Fusheng down the city tower.

Ying Fusheng took a few steps and kept looking back. Qi Hanzhou did not follow.

Marquis Cen'an's troops had withdrawn, but dangers still lingered inside and outside Huaizhou City.

The city remained sealed off. Old General Chen and Prince Jin took the opportunity to search the city thoroughly, capturing "bandits" who had failed to slip away in the chaos. Some of these bandits had been hired by the Fei family, others were their assassins. Among them, several were identified as notorious river bandits from the rivers of Huaizhou and Ningjiang.

"These people planned to take advantage of the chaos when Marquis Cen'an breached the city to escape," the Imperial Guard reported after investigation. "But when Marquis Cen'an retreated and Prince Jin ordered the search of the city, they ended up trapped like fish in a barrel."

The more those present realized this, the more terrifying the scheme seemed.

Had it not been for Prince Jin's alliance with Prince Yan, and Prince Yan's prior arrangement for Chen Shoude and others to protect the people in the city, Huaizhou City would have become a living hell under the Fei family's plan. Even if Prince Jin's troops had later arrived, Marquis Cen'an could have entered and blamed everything on Prince Jin, making Prince Jin powerless.

"Not only that, but the Imperial Guard's defense of the city can also be used as leverage," Ji Wuming frowned. With the Imperial Guard being obstructed in Jiangnan, Marquis Cen'an and other marquises' rebellion was now beyond dispute. This matter must be reported to the court immediately.

With that thought, he looked at Qi Hanzhou, who was standing alone. The involvement of Wang Guanzhi and his group of Jiangnan officials alone would not have been enough to bring Old General Chen out personally. To have persuaded Old General Chen to act, Qi Hanzhou was likely the crucial piece.

How Prince Yan laid his plans before entering Jiangnan, how Qi Hanzhou saved Zhang Wuyong, and then Old General Chen—these seemingly unconnected details fit together like perfectly meshed gears. Prince Yan's strategies intertwined with Qi Hanzhou's maneuvers.

"You'll have to return to the capital personally after this," Ji Wuming reminded.

Qi Hanzhou knew that, but first, the problems in Jiangnan had to be fully resolved. He looked down toward the city gate. Dried bloodstains still marked the streets of Huaizhou City. Prince Jin's men were pulling carts to gather the bodies. Unlike the endless fields of corpses and seas of blood from years past, this scene had a liveliness he had never witnessed.

"How is your hand?" Qi Hanzhou asked.

"At least I still have one hand left." Ji Wuming's right sleeve was empty. As a right-handed man, losing an arm meant losing half his fighting ability. "Qi Hanzhou, what do you think of Jiangnan?"

"Jiangnan is not the northern frontier."

After a long pause, Qi Hanzhou replied.

In the Fei family case, Assistant Prefect Fei, along with Fei Gong and other Fei family members, were brought to the Huaizhou Prefectural Office. The Governor of Yingtian and the Vice Governor were present. The ironclad evidence of the Ningjiang Salt Case, loudly proclaimed from the city gate, was once again presented in the court. The entire populace of Huaizhou City gathered, faces filled with rage as they stared at the Fei family kneeling in the court.

Night had fallen, but the Huaizhou Prefectural Office was brightly lit.

That day, the storm had barely begun, and countless grievances and injustices converged on that single office.

When Zhang Wuyong entered the court, he saw the brightness outside the office. The people had lit lanterns, and tears welled in his eyes.

With the Governor of Yingtian's order, the trial officially commenced.

Assistant Prefect Fei's excuses were drowned out by the noise from outside. Nothing moved the people more than the stark reality of Huaizhou City. Even the literati trying to argue found no basis for defense. The Fei family had deployed too many people to pull off this scheme, and without their ultimate cover, these actions became ammunition for Zhang Wuyong.

"I request justice for Magistrate Qian!" Zhang Wuyong declared.

His words drew sobs from the people outside, followed by voices echoing his plea.

"Justice for Magistrate Qian!"

"A bunch of sanctimonious hypocrites, the Fei family!"

The water bandits hired to enter the city, the city defense left in the Fei family's hands—these things eerily matched the crimes Magistrate Qian had reported. That wronged magistrate, who had hanged himself in office, was finally cleared of all charges through the efforts of Zhang Wuyong and his colleagues, before the Huaizhou Prefectural Office, before the eyes of the world.

Ying Fusheng sat in the hall, listening to the voices of the people outside.

He had sat through many court sessions, but never had he heard such a resounding cry.

Magistrate Qian was not the only one to suffer injustice. How many others in Jiangnan had died at their hands before him? The Fei family was merely the largest pawn of the shadowy mastermind in Jiangnan. Behind the Fei family lay a web of colluding marquises... Long ago, he had thought that uprooting the spies in the capital would cripple the shadowy figure. But Dayuan was vast. From the capital to Jiangnan, countless innocent lives lay strewn along the way.

People had died in the Jiangling dyke collapse, and Magistrate Qian had died pleading the people's case...

In the court, one charge after another was laid out. Beyond the Ningjiang Salt Case, the web of officials covering for each other, colluding with merchants and bandits—these truths, exposed before the people, formed a blood debt that could never be forgiven. But to investigate thoroughly would implicate most of the Jiangnan officialdom.

The Governor of Yingtian glanced at Prince Jin, and beside Prince Jin was Prince Yan. Both princes were in complete agreement: the Jiangnan officialdom must undergo a thorough investigation!

The Governor of Yingtian declared: "This matter is of great magnitude! Anyone who colluded or associated with the Fei family will not be spared by the Yingtian Prefecture!"

"The Fei family has committed heinous crimes. According to Dayuan law, they are to be executed along with their nine families!" he continued. "I have already sent a special envoy to the capital city. Once the imperial decree from the capital arrives, they will all be executed by harsh torture!"

Not immediate beheading, but harsh torture.

When the verdict was announced, Assistant Prefect Fei's face turned ashen.

Some of the people could not contain themselves and threw swill onto the Fei family members. Fei Gong's face turned livid; he had never been so humiliated, but he could only be dragged and shoved before the crowd. Even the literati who had spoken for the Fei family were brought forward. In the eyes of the people of Huaizhou, anyone who spoke for the Fei family was now a bandit, a thief.

Within two days, the events in Huaizhou City spread across the two prefectures in Jiangnan.

The people’s condemnation of the Fei family surged out of Huaizhou City. The verdict from the Yingtian Prefecture, along with warrants for the arrest of Fei Xun and other Fei family members, was posted throughout Jiangnan. When the charges were made public, scholars from the Fei family’s academies jointly petitioned, accusing the Yingtian Prefecture and defending their teachers, Fei Gong and others. But immediately, the merchants and townsfolk of Huaizhou City shot back.

Massacre. Those two words alone were enough to crush the decades of prestige the Fei family had built.

These two words were crimson and stark, almost igniting the people's righteous fury.

"Thanks to Imperial Censor Xiao, this time we managed to rally the people to petition. It was with Censor Xiao's help," Zhang Wuyong said.

"Lord Zhang, you flatter me. These pieces of evidence were gathered through years of arduous effort by many. We merely played a minor role. The credit for this outcome goes to all the lords," Censor Xiao said, not taking any credit. He added earnestly, "If Prince Yan hadn't informed me in advance to act, with the city sealed off, I wouldn't have been able to travel across the Yingtian Prefecture."

The real driving force behind this victory was the incorruptible officials in the Jiangnan officialdom.

They were merely outsiders, doing their best.

Zhang Wuyong smiled bitterly. "If I hadn't brought the evidence to Huaizhou City, wouldn't Prince Yan's plan have been for nothing?"

Censor Xiao looked toward the entrance of the yamen, where the bustling crowd outside was still passionately condemning the Fei family. "This calamity in Jiangnan has only just begun. Lord Zhang, you've spent many years in Jiangnan, and you've distrusted the court for just as long. But you trusted Magistrate Qian, which shows you care for the people. The Xiao family oversees the bureaucracy in the court. I trust your character, and Prince Yan does too."

When Zhang Wuyong heard that Prince Yan trusted him, he thought of the calm yet resolute gaze Prince Yan had given him in the court that day. From Jiangling to Jiangnan, it had only been a short time since this prince arrived in the southern region. Yet he was already involved in the Fei family's scheme to slaughter the city. If he had been even slightly careless, he would have died there. He used his reputation to confront the Fei family and risked his life to stay in the game.

He had seen the devastation at Prince Jin's residence. If Commander Qi had arrived a moment later, Prince Yan would have been in grave danger. From the day Qi Hanzhou rescued him, to when Wang Guanzhi later found him, it seemed that some things had changed as if by fate.

Censor Xiao turned to leave, and Zhang Wuyong bowed to see him off. Even after Censor Xiao had gone far, he still kept his gaze fixed on him. Censor Xiao's attitude represented the stance of the Xiao family. The Dayuan dynasty had no heir, and the emperor was skilled in martial governance. But after half a year, two upheavals in the southern region had been quelled by the Sixth Prince. Perhaps he should trust him.

...

The purge of the Jiangnan officialdom began quietly with the public revelation of the Fei family's crimes.

Prince Jin, in this instance, essentially followed the strategy laid out by Ying Fusheng. The years of maneuvering within the Jiangnan officialdom were all cast aside. His stance became the stance of the Governor of Yingtian, forcing some wavering officials to choose sides.

Now, in the Jiangnan officialdom, one was either a government official or a rebel.

Wang Guanzhi finished all his tasks and finally had time to return to Prince Jin's residence.

When he arrived, he heard that two doctors were waiting in Prince Yan's room. Since the court hearing that day, Prince Yan had been ill and refused to see visitors. Many officials from the Jiangnan officialdom had tried to visit, but Prince Jin had declined them all citing his illness. Everyone in the southern region knew how frail Ying Fusheng was. His rescue of Huaizhou City was a great favor to Prince Jin and the forces behind him, and the Jiangnan officialdom undoubtedly owed him this favor.

It wasn't easy to escape the Fei family's siege of the city. He had to secretly smuggle a falcon out of the city at night, then hide in the river and swim underwater for a long time.

If not for his years of experience in rivers and lakes, and the assistance of the guard named Ye by Prince Yan's side outside the city, he would never have made it out and would have been discovered.

He was probably the only person in all of Huaizhou City with such swimming skills. But the moment Prince Jin heard that he had swum out through a river tunnel, he sent troops the next day to add several iron grilles to the tunnel.

When he entered the chamber, Prince Yan was resting. He had been running a high fever for several days, with doctors coming and going without rest.

"Fei Xun hasn't been found. Someone must have helped him escape. He was badly wounded by Commander Qi's men, so it's hard for him to flee Jiangnan," Wang Guanzhi said. "But following the lead of Marquis Cen'an, and the list from Zhang Wuyong, the marquises involved in the plot are already under surveillance. Zhang Wuyong is leading men to find evidence following the trail of Assistant Prefect Fei. Once the evidence is complete, we can round up all these princes and marquises."

Now, within the Jiangnan officialdom, everyone was deflecting blame. Zhang Wuyong's evidence could only topple the Fei family, but dealing with the other officials behind that network of collusion between officials, merchants, and bandits would take time.

Ying Fusheng looked up at him. "Anything else?"

Wang Guanzhi held back the words on the tip of his tongue. He found that every time he was before His Highness, it was only business, and His Highness showed no intention of keeping him around. He hesitated for a moment but finally took his leave.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw Wu Lao and Chen Xuqiu discussing medical cases in the courtyard.

"Lord Wang, why don't you stay a little longer?" Chen Xuqiu teased.

Wang Guanzhi waved his hand. "I've reported my business to His Highness, so it's only natural that I take my leave."

If he hadn't taken a few steps and glanced back, Chen Xuqiu might have believed him.

The commotion in the courtyard reached Song An, who was serving Ying Fusheng his medicine. He tactfully reminded him, "Lord Wang seemed to want to ask Your Highness for a cup of tea."

Ying Fusheng cast a sidelong glance. He had no tea here, only a bowl of medicinal broth. But since Song An reminded him, he still sent someone to fetch some fine tea leaves as a gift. He then instructed Liu Yunshi to put Wang Guanzhi in charge of the Jiangnan embankment project, since the Ministry of Works would be accommodating, and it would also return Wang Guanzhi a favor.

Song An hesitated, as if about to say something more, but he heard his master ask—

"Where is Qi Hanzhou?"

That day, when his fever had spiked, Qi Hanzhou had sent for Chen Xuqiu and Wu Lao, but after that, he had not seen him.

He knew that the Chief of the Imperial Guard had other matters to attend to, but he hadn't seen Qi Hanzhou for several days.

"The Junior General was here in the morning but went out at noon," Ye Xuanqi materialized suddenly.

Song An was startled by the voice and, seeing the elusive Light Garment Guard, couldn't help but say, "Lord Ye, you don't have to perch on the roof beams!" This was just like that Adjutant Ye—people from the Northern territories were all like that...

"The Junior General ordered me to stay close to Your Highness during this time and protect your safety," Ye Xuanqi said formally.

Ying Fusheng paused. He was here in the morning? Then why didn't he come over?

He frowned and asked, "Is the Imperial Guard's business very difficult to handle?"

Ye Xuanqi replied, "The Light Garment Guards don't handle that."

Song An glanced at Ye Xuanqi. This one wasn't like Adjutant Xuan Jiu; he was far too rigid.

With many affairs in Huaizhou City, Ying Fusheng left some matters to Censor Xiao. He didn't see Qi Hanzhou return in the afternoon, and it wasn't until nightfall that Ying Fusheng finally saw him.

Qi Hanzhou entered and saw that the medicine beside him had not been drunk. "Xuan Qi said you had something to discuss with me. Why haven't you taken your medicine?"

After several days apart, Ying Fusheng sensed that he seemed somewhat different. "I'll drink it now."

After all, he and Qi Hanzhou were allies. Qi Hanzhou had done many things for him, so it was only right that he should help Qi Hanzhou overcome any difficulties.

There were many suspicious points in the Huaizhou City affair. The Chief of the Imperial Guard, Ji Wuming, had not been harmed. Qi Hanzhou's covert actions would inevitably be discovered. The Qi family was, after all, the emperor's blade. Suspicion falling on him was one thing, but if it fell on Qi Hanzhou, it would endanger the Qi Family Army in the northern border.

"I'll have someone handle Ji Wuming's side. Mobilizing troops to protect the people is perfectly reasonable," Ying Fusheng said, picking up the medicine bowl. "The Jiangnan garrison is a defensive force. At worst, we can pin it on Prince Jin..."

For the Qi family, the most important thing was the emperor's trust.

He had already handled this through Censor Xiao. As long as the Governor of Yingtian's orders were complete, some matters could be attributed to him.

"Your Highness," Qi Hanzhou said.

Ying Fusheng was deep in thought. When he looked up, he suddenly saw Qi Hanzhou staring at him. Then he heard Qi Hanzhou ask, "Why did you dismiss the Light Garment Guards that day? There were fewer than twenty guards left by your side."

"That matter is over and done with," Ying Fusheng said, not understanding why Qi Hanzhou was bringing it up.

Qi Hanzhou asked, "What if Prince Jin's betrayal was also part of Fei Xun's plan?"

Ying Fusheng frowned.

Prince Jin's limited number of covert guards in the city, undetected by the Fei family, were few. Most of the troops had been deployed by Prince Jin to support Chen Shoude in protecting the people. The remaining two groups were assigned to protect them. To avoid alerting the enemy, they couldn't even have Wang Guanzhi mobilize the garrison outside the city in advance.

Only by doing so could they deceive Fei Xun at the last moment.

Moreover, he still had leverage. Fei Xun and his backers had so many pieces destroyed; they would surely want to know the cause and effect. If there was a potential threat, they would still act rationally.

"Prince Jin's residence has a secret passage. Fei Xun wouldn't dare kill me immediately," he said confidently.

Inside the chamber, silence had fallen inexplicably.

Ying Fusheng's words received no response. He fell silent and looked at Qi Hanzhou.

The two kept their distance, one sitting and one standing, so Ying Fusheng had to look up at him.

Qi Hanzhou looked at him. The young man's face was gradually maturing, still pale from illness, as it had always been. He knew that given the other's situation, he had no choice but to scheme and calculate. In those eyes were the people of Jiangling and Jiangnan, but he had never once considered himself. Even now, what occupied his mind was how to clear the Qi family and Old General Chen.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, and the spring breeze carried the faint fragrance of blossoms. As he looked at Qi Hanzhou, he realized it was the first time he had seen him from this angle. He recalled their past interactions—how, when they plotted in secret, Qi Hanzhou mostly listened and rarely spoke, and sometimes he truly couldn't fathom what Qi Hanzhou was thinking. Qi Hanzhou's behavior was unlike anyone else's.

He could guess what Prince Jin was thinking, and he could even guess what Fei Xun was thinking, whom he had only faced twice.

But across both lives, it seemed he had never truly understood Qi Hanzhou.

"I don't quite understand."

"Are you angry?"

He wasn't very good at comforting anymore.