LF Chapter 53
by VolareThe next morning, Jiang Yinghua, preoccupied with her thoughts, woke up earlier than usual. At the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), as she was having breakfast, the steward rushed in, “Your Highness, there’s a man dressed as a stableman outside the manor gates claiming to be the Prefect of Bing Province, urgently seeking an audience. The guards, unsure, stopped him, and he even broke his head in the process.”
Jiang Yinghua was startled by this news. She put down her chopsticks and quickly went outside, saying, “Lead me to him.”
Hurrying out, Jiang Yinghua saw the man. He was about fifty years old, dressed as a common laborer, looking very weary. Jiang Yinghua frowned and coldly asked, “Do you have official seals and documents to prove your identity?”
Upon seeing Jiang Yinghua, the man quickly kowtowed and tremblingly took out the seals from his bosom, proving his identity.
At that moment, Yan Wanzhi returned on horseback from outside, looking hurried and solemn. Jiang Yinghua glanced at her and knew she had important matters to report, so she instructed, “Both of you, come inside. We’ll discuss this in the main hall.”
“Prefect Wu, first, tell me what you need to report. Why are you in such a state?” Jiang Yinghua sat in the main hall and went straight to the point.
The old prefect glanced at Yan Wanzhi. Jiang Yinghua smirked, “Speak freely. If she can’t be trusted, then both Your Majesty and I are being deceived.”
Upon hearing this, the prefect bowed to Yan Wanzhi, “This humble official was blind and didn’t recognize Scholar Yan. Please forgive me.”
Yan Wanzhi returned the bow, “Prefect Wu, the important thing is the matter at hand.”
“Your Highness, I came here overnight because of Prince Yong’s entry into the capital. You ordered the Bing Province garrison to move westward, and almost simultaneously yesterday evening, the Bing Province Military Governor, Li Xiao, secretly mobilized troops and took control of the government office. I found this suspicious and feared that someone in the province was colluding with Prince Yong, so I disguised myself as a commoner and slipped out to report.” Prefect Wu reported solemnly.
For the provincial military governor to surround the prefect’s office was indeed unusual. Jiang Yinghua temporarily kept this in mind and turned to ask Yan Wanzhi, “Is Scholar Yan’s information related to this?”
“Reporting to Your Highness, according to reports from the front lines, Prince Yong’s party left Yin Province, passed through Ning Province, and entered Bing Province, but no one personally saw Prince Yong himself along the way. Urgent reports from scouts indicate that last night, the Bing Province border garrison and Prince Yong’s forces were in a standoff along the river. Both sides exchanged messages, but there has been no progress so far.” Yan Wanzhi reported methodically.
“How many days until the Western Army’s movements?” Jiang Yinghua frowned, suspecting foul play.
“At the earliest, tonight. At the latest, it will arrive the day after tomorrow.” Seeing Jiang Yinghua’s worried expression, Yan Wanzhi guessed her thoughts.
“Prefect Wu, without concrete evidence, I have no authority to intervene in Bing Province’s local affairs. I will send guards to escort you back secretly and also order Scholar Yan to write a letter to the capital, which you can sign and seal.” Jiang Yinghua considered for a moment before speaking. With limited clues, this matter must be reported to the court for a decision.
The two followed her instructions and jointly wrote a letter explaining the situation. After Jiang Yinghua reviewed it, she stamped it with her official seal and instructed Yan Wanzhi to send it to the capital with utmost urgency.
With the matter settled, Jiang Yinghua ordered the steward to lead the prefect to rest and send him back later. She kept Yan Wanzhi by her side, pondering for a long time, and said, “What do you make of this?”
“Bing Province used to be under Prince Yong’s administration, so collusion is possible. If the secret report confirms unusual movements in the border army, then Prince Yong’s intentions are likely not as simple as entering the capital to question the Emperor. As for the men escorted by the two thousand guards, if it’s really Prince Yong, Your Highness may have to abandon the Bing Province army and strengthen the defense line. If not, Prince Yong is using trickery and intends to use the border army to carry out a rebellion.” Yan Wanzhi’s analysis was very clear.
Jiang Yinghua felt that their thoughts aligned. However, this was what she least wanted to see. If it was as Yan Wanzhi said, then her third brother wasn’t acting impulsively due to their mother’s death but had been planning this for a long time, waiting for an opportunity.
Jiang Yinghua rested her head on her hand and sighed, “Regardless of whether it’s true or false, this time, my third brother has caught me off guard, and I’m in a difficult position. Mobilizing the Bing Province army is within my authority, but if I move the Zhenwei Army without authorization, my possession of the Military Seal will be exposed. However, requesting instructions from the capital will take at least three days for a round trip, and if Bing Province really falls, I will be held responsible. Wanzhi, what should I do? Has Your Majesty sent any messages?”
“Your Majesty hasn’t sent any messages yet. Your Highness, in urgent situations, one must prioritize the overall situation. The most uncertain situation is currently Bing Province. I’ve ordered people to investigate further, and we should have news by this evening. Why doesn’t Your Highness make plans and arrange deployments so that we can mobilize with a single order?”
“How about I take two thousand guards and order six thousand provincial soldiers from my fief to enter Bing Province first, and you draft a memorial requesting authorization on my behalf?” Jiang Yinghua’s tone was almost pleading.
“Your Highness, that’s reckless! Aside from endangering yourself, you’re acting without authorization again, disregarding the law. Have you forgotten the lessons from the rebellion of the Regional Commander? Exposing the Military Seal during troop mobilization is fine, as it was approved by Your Majesty. However, privately moving local troops to other locations is truly like Prince Yong, trampling on the Emperor’s authority.” Yan Wanzhi was furious upon hearing this and sternly rebuked her.
It was reasonable for Jiang Yinghua to worry about Bing Province. However, whenever there was an emergency, she would rush to protect it regardless of the consequences. But she forgot that she was protecting the Emperor. Once the crisis was resolved, that person would repeatedly consider Jiang Yinghua’s actions. Even if the Emperor didn’t blame her, it was difficult to ensure that her actions wouldn’t be used by others with ulterior motives.
“I understand. Then I’ll wait for your news and make a decision.” Jiang Yinghua backed down. Yan Wanzhi’s rebuke calmed her down. Even if the Bing Province army was in cahoots with Prince Yong, they only had ten thousand troops. Jiang Yinghua could lead a larger army there later, taking advantage of the numerical superiority. She didn’t want to get involved again, doing thankless work.
“Your Highness, the prefect must be sent back quickly to avoid arousing suspicion and causing any changes that would alert the enemy.” Seeing her calm down, Yan Wanzhi reminded her.
“You’re right. It’s best to do it as soon as possible. Go arrange it, and report any news to me immediately.” Jiang Yinghua instructed softly, showing a hint of weariness in her eyes.
Yan Wanzhi didn’t stand on ceremony and turned to leave swiftly.
That day, reports from spies from Bing Province to the manor never ceased. They kept reporting that the two sides were in a standoff, and Prince Yong had no intention of moving forward or returning.
Having arrived all the way in Bing Province, as long as he didn’t cross the Bing Province defense line, the court couldn’t easily do anything to Prince Yong. After all, he had traveled far from the capital, only passing through Ning Province, which was under the jurisdiction of the Western Army, and there was no conflict with any soldiers.
Upon hearing the reports, Jiang Yinghua vaguely felt that Prince Yong was deliberately delaying, waiting for something. She was somewhat afraid. Could it be that the prefect was one of their people, causing a ruckus to deceive her into sending troops? Was he trying to gauge her bottom line?
Late into the night, Jiang Yinghua was still sitting in her study. She had no intention of sleeping that night. At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), Yan Wanzhi knocked on Jiang Yinghua’s door.
Jiang Yinghua looked at her sharply, “Is there news from the West?”
“It’s a secret letter from Your Majesty, addressed to you. Please open it and read it.” Yan Wanzhi took out a wax-sealed bamboo tube from her bosom. The fire lacquer seal on it was the Emperor’s personal seal.
Jiang Yinghua reached out, quickly opened it, and pulled out the letter inside. After reading the contents, Jiang Yinghua’s knuckles trembled as she held the letter. She clenched her teeth and couldn’t speak for a long time.
“Your Highness? What’s wrong? What did Your Majesty say?” Seeing her looking as if she was in great pain, Yan Wanzhi asked with concern.
“Wanzhi, there’s no need to hesitate any longer. Third brother… third brother has started a rebellion in Yin Province. The banner he’s flying isn’t to seek justice for the late Imperial Concubine, but to ‘purge the court of evil influences’.” Jiang Yinghua’s voice was very soft, and her eyes were desolate. She held the letter to the candlelight, her blurry gaze fixed on the ethereal flames, nearly burning her hand.
In a panic, Yan Wanzhi snatched the almost-burnt paper from her hand and threw it aside. She had never seen Jiang Yinghua so distraught. “Purge the court of evil influences? Whose name is he using?”
Jiang Yinghua scoffed and spoke with a chilling laugh, “My good third brother is truly ambitious. The person he wants to kill is me. Isn’t it funny? Wanzhi, isn’t it very funny?”
Yan Wanzhi was stunned. Jiang Yinghua hadn’t done anything, so why was he using her name to start a rebellion? Wasn’t this a disaster?
Seeing that no one was around, Yan Wanzhi boldly supported Jiang Yinghua and pushed her toward the chair behind the desk. “Hua’er, calm down. Stop laughing. Have a cup of tea to calm your nerves, and let’s talk it through.”
Yan Wanzhi helped her sit down, poured her a cup of clear tea, and placed it in her hand.
Jiang Yinghua casually threw the teacup on the table and said, hanging her head, “Third brother is so ruthless. He hired someone to poison the children in the palace and blamed it on me. Has he lost his mind? They were his own flesh and blood! How could he do it?”
Her voice trembled, and her eyes were red. After a while, she continued, “His proclamation says that I instructed you to abuse your power for personal revenge, slander the Marquis of Xiangling’s family, and bewitch the Emperor, causing chaos in the court. I tried so hard to protect him, but he turned around and tried to kill me. That’s right, if he can harm his own children, what’s a sister to him? Oh, right, no one knows how the late Imperial Concubine died. The most likely possibility is that the poison was taken by the Imperial Concubine herself. They’re all lunatics, lunatics!”
Jiang Yinghua couldn’t suppress her emotions any longer. She clenched her fist and slammed it on the table in anger, her voice shrill, and the commotion was frightening in the silent night.
The attendants outside heard the noise and hurriedly knocked on the door to inquire. Jiang Yinghua sternly rebuked, “Stay away!”
Seeing this, Yan Wanzhi quickly went out and stopped the alarmed attendants. “You guard the stone steps and don’t go far. Her Highness is in a bad mood tonight, so be careful and don’t cause trouble.”
After instructing the attendants, Yan Wanzhi turned back and stood by Jiang Yinghua, unsure how to comfort her. After venting her emotions, Jiang Yinghua leaned her body and plunged straight into Yan Wanzhi’s waist, muttering, “Let me lean on you for a while.”
Yan Wanzhi subconsciously reached out to pat her back, but she heard a burst of noisy footsteps outside. The voice of Steward Cao Song came, seemingly asking the attendants what had happened in the study just now. Yan Wanzhi paused, standing as straight as a pillar, blankly, and whispered, “Your Highness, someone’s coming. Would you mind letting go?”
Jiang Yinghua seemed not to hear, and the hand around Yan Wanzhi’s waist tightened even more. “They wouldn’t dare to come in.”
The shadows cast by the candlelight stretched long and flickered vaguely. Cao Song outside narrowed his eyes and looked at the strange posture of the two figures reflected on the window. He couldn’t help but frown, waved his hand, and whispered, “Everyone, step back, step back!”
After a long time, Jiang Yinghua finally stabilized her emotions, let go of Yan Wanzhi, and sat up straight again. Yan Wanzhi took a half-step back and stood still. Seeing her calm down, she asked, “So, there’s no need to wait for any more news. Your Majesty must have given you the authority to mobilize troops. Prince Yong must have privately mobilized the border army in Yin Province. Is that right?”
“Sort of. Your Majesty’s news is faster than yours. Prince Yong secretly sent people to control Ganzhou, thus eliminating the forces that restrained him, leading the Ganzhou army into his own fief and coercing the border army into submission, thus guarding the city. As for Ning Province, he realized it later. Those two thousand men disguised themselves as merchants and commoners passing through Ning Province within five days. After crossing the border, they deliberately released the news. It was all carefully planned.” Jiang Yinghua explained the contents of the letter slowly, without emotion.
She didn’t dare let Yan Wanzhi see the secret letter because Yan Wanzhi had become Prince Yong’s target for attacking Jiang Yinghua in the letter. The wording was not only unpleasant, but His Majesty meant that if things were difficult and there were any abnormalities, Jiang Yinghua could abandon the pawn to protect her reputation. Jiang Yinghua knew exactly what this meant, but she would never use it.
“In that case, the men in Bing Province don’t include the real Prince Yong, but only a diversion for the rebellion.” Yan Wanzhi’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she seriously pondered.
“Not necessarily. If he dares to be ruthless to his relatives, he dares to be ruthless to himself. Let’s see. If Bing Province rebels tonight, my third brother is probably in Bing Province, and I’ll respect him for having some backbone. If Bing Province doesn’t move, then he’s a coward.” A trace of ruthlessness flashed in Jiang Yinghua’s eyes, and she had a theatrical attitude.
Seeing her like that, Yan Wanzhi knew that Jiang Yinghua must have had an idea. “When will Your Highness depart to the camp?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yinghua curved her lips and chuckled. “You really are the worm in my stomach. Go inform the guards. I’ll get the Military Seal. We’ll meet outside the manor gates.”
That early morning, Jiang Yinghua selected troops and generals overnight, choosing thirteen thousand soldiers to prepare for departure. She also selected two thousand personal guards, planned the marching route, and arranged the military supplies. She sat steadily in the camp, considering whether there would be any gaps in the defense after taking away some of the troops. After confirming that everything was safe, she watched her subordinates busy, waiting for news from Bing Province.
Jiang Yinghua really wouldn’t bother getting involved if Prince Yong’s rebellion wasn’t under the guise of eliminating her. At the moment, she thought Prince Yong was heading straight for the capital, but she didn’t expect the destination to be her northern border. Jiang Yinghua was secretly competing with him. No matter which side you attack first, I won’t let you take another step east.
When it was getting bright, Jiang Yinghua was getting a little impatient. She had someone prepare breakfast and ate it with great appetite. Halfway through the meal, a junior military officer came to report, “Commander, six thousand Bing Province troops have defected to Prince Yong and advanced eastward at dawn.”
Jiang Yinghua put down her spoon and said faintly, “How disappointing. Why not come north and save my army some effort? Someone, pass the order to march!”