Chapter 271 - Hui Lian

"Ci Zhuyin truly betrayed the royal family?" Cen Yu found it hard to believe. "The Qis have guarded Qidong for a hundred years, and her actions will destroy their century-long reputation in an instant..."

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, the ruling family was the Li. They could advise the king and even die for him, but they could not serve any monarch outside the Li lineage. Hua Xiangyi's claim that the people of the world no longer wanted the Han child because of his lack of virtue was just an excuse. In reality, those who stood in the court were all loyal to the Li family. Without the Li, they would be mere remnants of the previous dynasty.

An unsuitable emperor could be replaced, but he had to be a member of the Li family – this was the rightful succession. Otherwise, why did Hai Liangyi choose death as a form of advice? Why did Xue Xiuzhuo strive so relentlessly? Wouldn't it have been better for them to support another ruler or even the Northern Liang? Centuries of so-called "loyalty" rested on this one surname. Going against it would make them traitors, rebels who defied the established order. Their passionate efforts and struggles were for the revival of the Li-led Great Zhou, not to kneel before another master.

Gao Zhongxiong's fame had soared, but when people in Qudu read his writings, they still spat at his name. As a servant of three masters, betraying his original lord was considered disloyal. A subject stands by loyalty, and if he lacked devotion to his sovereign, what kind of subject was he? Nothing more than a beast in human clothing!

Yao Wenyu's talent and reputation captivated the entire world, yet the capable individuals he helped Shen Zechuan recruit were mostly reclusive scholars from the countryside, with few coming from Qudu. Scholars at the Imperial Academy discussed him with regret, lamenting that he had wasted his potential and criticized him for betraying his mentor's legacy. While Hai Liangyi sacrificed himself to protect the rightful succession, Yao Wenyu followed the illegitimate Shen Zechuan. This was tantamount to throwing himself into the hands of the enemy. He had long been despised by the core Confucian scholars of the Great Zhou court, losing his once-pristine reputation as an unpolished gem.

Kong Qiu, now at this point, wept bitterly, saying, "I misjudged Ci Zhuyin!"

"Shao Chengbi, why did he fall so easily?" Chen Zhen slumped into his chair. "He even took the Spring Spring Camp's firearms..."

* * *

Shen Zechuan climbed the steps, the sky still dark. Smoke billowed from the former encampment, but he could already see Dancheng clearly.

"The weather has turned chilly," Fei Sheng followed behind, holding an overcoat for Shen Zechuan. "My Lord, be careful not to catch a cold."

Thin frost clung to the ground as Qiao Tianya and Tan Taihu, both armed with swords, crossed over. Tan Taihu, who had just finished using the latrine, looked pale. He knelt before Shen Zechuan, addressing him as "Lord," feeling ashamed.

"Using their own plan against them was a clever move," Shen Zechuan said, glancing sideways. "When Second Master returns, he will reward you."

Tan Taihu's face flushed red. "This... this was all thanks to Lord's impeccable planning... I... I never expected there to be a spy in the military." It wasn't his achievement, so he refused to take credit. Pointing at Yu Xiaozai, he continued, "It was all due to You Jing's quick thinking!"

"You should thank Ding Tao instead," Yu Xiaozai joked. "That last fall you took was because he struck your leg."

Normally, Qiao Tianya would have made a playful remark, but today he seemed gloomy, standing silently by the side.

"How did Lord guess that there was a spy in the military?" Tan Taihu asked.

"Didn't you tell me?" Shen Zechuan countered, in a particularly good mood. "When you heard that Wang Xian was in Duanzhou, you immediately set off for Duanzhou. If it weren't for someone's encouragement, would you have had the courage to do so in the past?"

Tan Taihu admired Xiao Chiye the most but also feared him the most. Though he was stubborn, he genuinely respected Second Master from the bottom of his heart. If no one had whispered in his ear, he, with his straightforward personality, wouldn't have suspected that Wang Xian would report him.

"But we still don't know," Yu Xiaozai commented, "whether this spy is from Jidu or from the Border Sands."

"Fei Sheng remarked, "Initially, there was uncertainty, but with his move last night, it's evident that he is a spy from Quduo."

"No," Qiao Tianya interjected suddenly. "The spy hidden within the military ranks couldn't have been sent by Qidu." All eyes turned to Qiao Tianya, who continued, "If Qidu were behind it, Duke Mu wouldn't be in the dark—nor would Shao Bo. My Lord, there's something amiss here. Second Master is closing in on Amur. If Amur had truly planted a spy here, he wouldn't have used a laxative; he would have employed a deadly poison to weaken our garrison, making it easier for Duke Mu's forces to triumph. Only when Ci State is in peril would Second Master withdraw his troops and return to aid Amur, thus alleviating the crisis there."

Xiao Chiye had already arrived at Mo Sanchuan and was relying on the Yanbu to persuade the three tribes to form an alliance through mutual trade, preparing to jointly attack Amur. Both Amur's vanguard, Hu Helu, and its general, Hason, had fallen in battle. He was now a cornered beast, and the easiest way for him to break free from the encirclement was to eliminate the Dungan garrison troops.

Tan Taihu, lacking in guile, casually responded, "Who else could it be? It can't possibly be someone from our own Zhongbo, right?"

The speaker may not intend it, but the listener takes it to heart.

Yu Xiaozai's thoughts raced, but he dared not respond. It was impossible for Zhongbo to be without factions. Back when Shen Zechuan was in6 Zizhou, there had been conflicts among Zhou Gui's subordinates over this very issue. Now, the officials in charge of Zhongbo affairs fell into two categories: those who were originally from Zhongbo and had been promoted by Shen Zechuan, and those who were former officials of the Great Zhou and had come to serve Shen Zechuan. Although they held equal status with the officials from the other six states, their personal relationships varied, and their motives for following Lord Governor were distinct, creating an invisible boundary between them.

Yu Xiaozai was a disciple of Cen Yu, who was also a senior official in the cabinet. Cen Yu came to Zhongbo to mediate peace talks and ultimately decided not to leave, driven by a personal desire to follow the lord. Shen Zechuan treated him generously, entrusting him with the important task of patrolling and overseeing the administration of six provinces. Inevitably, Yu Xiaozai would encounter conflicts with others during his duties, but it had not yet reached the point of open rivalry, as he did not govern any single province, had no military forces at his disposal, and was directly subordinate to Shen Zechuan, who could dismiss him at any moment. The real game-changer was Wang Xian, a disgraced official exiled from the capital, yet he had the authority to directly oversee the economic affairs of the six provinces – in Chazhou, he had Luo Mu firmly under his control.

Shen Zechuan inquired of Tan Taihu, "You keep mentioning spies. Have any been apprehended?"

"Amidst the chaos of last night," Tan Taihu glanced back at the distant procession, "we haven't finished inventorying everything yet... Lord, all the firearms seized this time seem to be faulty."

Upon learning of this matter, Shen Zechuan's brows knitted slightly as he countered with a question, "Something amiss?"

Qiao Tianya sidled up to Shen Zechuan and whispered, "The batch of matchlock guns from Fanzhou’s Prince Wing is a total of one hundred thirty-five."

Only the Chunquan Camp among the Great Zhou's eight major camps was equipped with these firearms. Back then, Xiao Chiye had to rely on his connection with Li Jianheng to get his hands on one for amusement. It was restricted by the military, and even the Ministry of Works did not have its blueprint, so it was difficult for them to leak out. Shen Zechuan couldn't obtain any despite being in the Jinyiwei. The copper matchlock guns were scarce, and with those that were damaged in the arsenal, there were fewer than two hundred in total.

Shen Zechuan said in a deep voice, "You've verified their serial numbers?"

Qiao Tianya nodded and replied, "The one hundred fifty matchlock guns that Shao Bo brought are the same as those Huo Lingyun submitted. They have identical serial numbers."

No wonder they were faulty—the real ones had long been in Shen Zechuan's possession.

Shen Zechuan was momentarily taken aback, but he reacted swiftly. "If Chen Zhen replaced the firearms blueprint and the key to the Chunquan Camp arsenal, he wouldn't pass them on to Shao Chengbi. Shao Chengbi wouldn't be able to mobilize his troops." He glanced at Qiao Tianya, and many thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. "If Shao Chengbi knew that the matchlock guns had been switched, he insisted on marching forward to his death because—"

Timing!

For Shen Zechuan to invade Qidu, he needed the right timing.

"Taifu asked me to hide in the Jinyiwei and await Lord Governor," Qiao Tianya said, his eyes dark. "In the indenture to Lord Governor, neither surname nor place of origin was mentioned."

Qi Huilian had only written down "Songyue."

"Then, apart from me," Qiao Tianya stated firmly, "there must be a 'Feng Quan,' isn't there?"

Raindrops pattered onto Shen Zechuan's brows and eyes, as a gust of wind suddenly swept through, dispersing the smoke within the camp. The downpour began in an instant, and Fei Sheng unfurled his cloak to shield Shen Zechuan from the rain.

"If one day, we perish on our journey, this arrangement made today will be his life-saving trump card."

Qi Huilian sat with his legs crossed under the eave, watching the heavy rain pour down. He put down his empty wine gourd and grinned at Ji Gang, who was oblivious beside him.

"You gave him the Snow of Yangshan, while I gave him the knife to slay the king."