After one night with hundreds of thousands of characters deleted, Han Qian slept with body relaxed and comfortable until bright daylight before waking. He saw Zhao Ting’er already sitting before the window arranging her makeup, raising her head to fix her hair. Her slender jade hands lifted her waterfall-like tresses, exposing a stretch of her long, snow-white neck, like a section of beautiful jade half-hidden beneath smooth silk brocade.
Recalling last night’s jade body laid out by candlelight, Han Qian rose and threw on his clothes. Coming up behind Zhao Ting’er, he embraced her, looking at the beauty in the mirror as gorgeous as spring flowers, and asked, “Why get up so early? Can your body take it?”
“…” Zhao Ting’er’s beautiful eyes swept Han Qian a glance as she said, “I need to go to the West Courtyard to pay respects to the master. How can I stay lazy in bed?”
Zhao Ting’er would turn twenty after the new year. Her body had finally matured. Even though Han Qian couldn’t restrain himself last night and exhausted her three times, she didn’t feel too uncomfortable. Having changed to a married woman’s makeup, her appearance was even more bright and enchanting.
At this moment, seeing Han Qian rise, following what her mother had told her, she took scissors and cut out the section of bedsheet mixed with bloodstains and white fluids, hiding it at the bottom of a chest.
Han Qian was just about to say his father had probably already gone to the front office to handle official duties, but then thought that paying respects to parents the day after the wedding was proper ritual. Perhaps his father was still waiting in the West Courtyard. He also quickly dressed properly. Pushing open the door, he saw Xi Ren, Han Zhou Shi, Du Qiniang, Du Jiuniang, and others all standing guard in the courtyard. Secretly thinking how fortunate—if he’d pulled Zhao Ting’er back under the covers to sleep more, that would have been rather embarrassing.
“The new bride is excessively beautiful!” Xi Ren saw that after becoming a wife, after one night Zhao Ting’er’s bearing had developed several degrees more of clear charm, and couldn’t help but praise aloud.
“Has Father gone to the front office to handle official duties?” Han Qian asked.
“The master is still waiting in the West Courtyard for the new wife to serve tea. With such a day as this, you actually slept until the sun was high in the sky—don’t you know restraint?” Xi Ren said.
Zhao Ting’er thought the hour was clearly still early, but remembering that last night Xi Ren had been guarding on the rooftop and this woman had heard everything, she now lacked the courage to retort.
Even though she knew in her heart that Xi Ren’s relationship with her husband was close, and that even to thoroughly win over the Xi clan people, her husband should sooner or later take Xi Ren into his chambers, a woman’s natural instinct hoped that day would come as late as possible.
Han Qian thought to himself that he’d already shown enough restraint, alright? Ignoring Xi Ren’s teasing, he hurried to wash up and brought Zhao Ting’er to the West Courtyard to see his father.
Han Daoxun had long since finished breakfast and was now waiting for Han Qian to bring his new wife to perform the ritual. Fan Xicheng was also in the study keeping Han Daoxun company in conversation.
Seeing Fan Xicheng in a blue robe, and the Xi clan youth Han Qian had assigned to attend him carrying luggage and standing in the corridor, Han Qian knew Fan Xicheng was leaving Xuzhou today. He had come to bid farewell to his father.
After drinking the tea soup served by the new wife, Han Daoxun told Han Qian, “Father must go to the front office to handle official duties. You see Xicheng off out of the city on Father’s behalf.”
“Alright!” Han Qian agreed. After hastily eating breakfast, he had horses and carriages prepared. Together with Zhao Ting’er, he saw Fan Xicheng off out of the city, watching him board a merchant vessel passing through Qianyang, floating downstream.
Having Fan Xicheng’s adopted son Fan Chengzhi return to the city first, with autumn’s mood now thick, Han Qian accompanied Zhao Ting’er by carriage along Wufeng Mountain’s cotton-growing area to appreciate the scenery, thinking in his heart how pleasant it would be if, regardless of the evil winds and waves in Jinling, he could stay in Xuzhou establishing his own domain.
“What is husband thinking about?” Zhao Ting’er lazily nestled in Han Qian’s embrace, looking up to see his brow slightly furrowed, and asked.
“I don’t know when Jinling will see upheaval.” Han Qian said.
“Can’t husband prevent Jinling from descending into chaos?” Though Zhao Ting’er had her calculations, she hadn’t experienced a life as difficult as Xi Ren’s. Thinking of Jinling descending into chaos and countless people being torn from wives and children, she couldn’t bear it in her heart.
“When the Canglang waters are clear, I can wash my hat ribbons; when the Canglang waters are muddy, I can wash my feet…” Han Qian sighed. Having struggled to this point, he could only catch a few breaths. Jinling’s situation truly wasn’t something he could control. He could only wait for upheaval to appear in Jinling before acting according to circumstances.
After idling with Zhao Ting’er outside the city until the sun was setting, Han Qian returned to Furong Garden. Going to the West Courtyard to pay respects to his father, he found Works Consultant Zheng Tong also in the West Courtyard study discussing repairs to the Snowy Peak Mountain post road.
Although Han Qian had handed the Provincial Governor position to Tian Cheng to assume, as a Consultant to the Prince of Tan’s household and as an official of the Hunan Regional Administration, he naturally had the qualification to openly participate in the military and political affairs of the eight prefectures under the Hunan Regional Administration. Not to mention that repairing the Snowy Peak Mountain post road required Han Qian’s money and grain contribution.
Works Consultant Zheng Tong had personally walked the entire Snowy Peak Mountain post road again these past few days, confirming thirty-one passes and dangerous sections requiring repair and widening. To ensure the hired workers could return home before next year’s spring plowing, Zheng Tong also advocated establishing logistics camps at existing tribal strongholds and villages along the route, beginning work simultaneously in multiple locations.
However, the tribal strongholds deep in Snowy Peak Mountain had extremely little contact with the outside world over these decades. Their vigilance toward external forces was even greater than that of tribal people under the control of Xuzhou’s four major clans.
Compared to tribal people under local clan control, these strongholds had always been viewed as uncontrolled savage tribes.
When Xuzhou’s forces previously passed through, these strongholds showed no unusual activity. But hundreds or thousands of people camping near the strongholds, felling trees, building roads and bridges, didn’t mean these strongholds would continue maintaining silence.
Zheng Tong had come to find Han Daoxun hoping to prepare contingency plans early for such matters, to avoid being caught unprepared.
“Since we’ve agreed on a three-month work period, then within three months, all thirty-one passes must be widened without exception. No accidents or delays can be tolerated!” Han Qian said decisively. “The provincial garrison needs to organize troops to train for mountain warfare—let them train at Snowy Peak Mountain. If these tribal strongholds show any unusual signs, uniformly suppress and forcibly relocate them…”
The Snowy Peak Mountain post road passed through seven tribal strongholds totaling over two thousand people. Han Qian’s attitude was very clear: if they couldn’t ensure these seven strongholds’ tribal people remained law-abiding, forcibly relocating them for resettlement was better than leaving hidden dangers.
Zheng Tong was slightly shocked. Secretly thinking that Snowy Peak Mountain was steep and rugged—perhaps one rainstorm would delay the work schedule by many days, and might cause widened dangerous passes to collapse again. Insisting on finishing the project within three months would mean, on one hand, costs would surge dramatically, and on the other hand, accidents and casualties would greatly increase.
Seeing Han Qian’s resolute attitude, Zheng Tong probed by asking, “Will the Third Prince send troops against the rebel forces occupying Yongzhou after the new year?”
Han Qian nodded and said, “Administrator Zheng need not worry about money and grain. Not delaying the work schedule is what matters!”
With Han Qian’s words, Zheng Tong felt quite relieved and departed cheerfully.
Han Qian was just about to find Han Laoshan to ask what was prepared for dinner when he saw his father Han Daoxun’s brow tightly furrowed. His heart jumped uneasily, wondering if his old man had detected something.
“If it’s merely launching an offensive against the Yongzhou rebel forces, with the Dragon Sparrow Army expanded to nearly thirty thousand elite troops on both flanks, plus four to five months of reorganization before and after, there’s absolutely no need for Xuzhou’s forces,” Han Daoxun put down the official document in his hand and asked with furrowed brow, “Why must you insist on completing repairs to the Snowy Peak Mountain post road within three months? What are you worried about?”
“With the Dragon Sparrow Army expanded to thirty thousand elite troops, plus nearly twenty thousand provincial garrison forces and the Tower Ship Navy’s water and tribal battalions available for deployment, with military merit in plain sight, we can’t fail to compete!” Han Qian said with a smile.
“The Third Prince established such great merit through vassal reduction, yet the Crown Prince and Prince Xin showed no activity whatsoever—you’re worried about that, aren’t you?” Han Daoxun stared fixedly at Han Qian. “And you’ve calculated the timing so precisely—have you detected something wrong somewhere?”
Han Qian’s scalp went numb. Thinking his old man was truly not easy to fool, his mind raced rapidly as he fabricated an explanation: “We do have some concerns. Therefore, preparations for launching an offensive against Yongzhou aim to achieve victory in one battle and rout the enemy, without the slightest dragging of feet. Otherwise, the situation might truly develop unexpected variables…”
Though Han Qian’s words seemed flawless, Han Daoxun was half-believing, half-doubting.
At this moment, Han Laoshan came in to say dinner was ready.
Han Qian changed the subject, saying, “Regarding the mountain tribal strongholds, we don’t necessarily have to suppress them with military force. Father should have Zheng Tong try to select as many acculturated tribesmen who speak the mountain Yue language as possible to accompany the craftsmen and provincial garrison soldiers into the mountains, strengthening communication with the strongholds. Besides providing necessary relief to impoverished strongholds and giving them some essential living supplies, we can also hire tribal people as workers. In any case, looking long-term, we still need to educate the savage tribes in Snowy Peak Mountain to become subjects of Great Chu…”
“They say the rise and fall of the realm is every man’s responsibility. You’re only twenty-two this year but already stand at such a high position. You must not forget this heart for governing and serving the people.” Han Daoxun stood up, earnestly admonishing him.
“Father’s instruction is correct.” Han Qian replied, standing to accompany his father out of the study. But seeing his father’s brow seemed to remain locked in contemplation, he secretly groaned inwardly, not knowing how heartbroken his father would be when news of great chaos in Jinling reached Xuzhou.
Han Qian steeled himself to accompany his father to dinner. During the meal, he absolutely didn’t mention the Third Prince’s preparations for the campaign to eliminate remaining rebel forces, fearing the more he said, the more flaws would appear.
After dinner, Han Qian went before the East Courtyard and said, “After I accompany Ting’er back to visit her family, I’ll go directly by boat to Linjiang County. I might go directly from Longya City to Chenzhou, then take a boat to see the Third Prince…”
Han Qian feared his father would detect too much and almost didn’t dare return to Qianyang City anymore.
“If the rebel forces in Yongzhou can be pacified early, bringing order from chaos throughout Hunan, that would be good. Do your utmost to assist and strategize by the Third Prince’s side.” Han Daoxun said.