CCWAD – Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Guest Becomes the Host

Epigraph:

“When Tong Guan’s secret envoy knocked on my door again, no longer to recruit but to compromise, I knew the time had come. I kept the Ministry of War document he brought and said with a smile, ‘Go back and tell Prime Minister Tong that if he wants to cooperate, he must play by my rules.'”

—

The news of the swift and decisive elimination of Zhang Gan, the Cao Gang’s strongman, spread like wildfire through Tokyo’s select circles. Tong Guan, having suffered a significant blow, flew into a rage but was powerless. Not only were his forces within the Cao Gang crippled, but he was also shocked by the ruthless efficiency and the complete lack of traceable evidence. This was far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary Liangshan chieftain or a renowned courtesan. Yan Qing and the Li Shishi behind her were far more formidable than he had imagined.

Following this incident, Yan Qing’s standing in the eyes of Li Jun, the hidden helmsman of the Cao Gang, soared. Li Jun had witnessed her methods firsthand (though it was primarily Shi Xiu who acted, the strategy and aura emanated from Yan Qing). He now revered the iron tally in her possession, which represented Li Shishi’s will, and his attitude became increasingly respectful, showing signs of following her lead. This meant that Yan Qing now commanded not only Shi Xiu, the sharp “dagger,” but also a hidden, formidable force beneath the surface.

Li Shishi was pleased with the outcome but did not let her guard down. She cautioned Yan Qing, “Tong Guan is cunning and treacherous. Having suffered this setback, he will not let it go. He will either retaliate with more insidious means, or… he will change his strategy. We must be prepared.”

As expected, a few days later, the same secret envoy who had delivered Tong Guan’s personal letter and five hundred taels of gold and silver notes reappeared outside Yan Qing’s small courtyard. This time, his demeanor was not one of condescending recruitment, but rather one of thinly veiled caution, even a hint of imperceptible reverence.

“Young Master Yan, I trust you are well,” the envoy said, bowing and forcing a smile. “Prime Minister Tong heard that Young Master has been… working hard lately, and has sent me to convey his regards.”

Yan Qing invited him into the courtyard, maintaining her usual nonchalant air, as if the events at Happy Forest had nothing to do with her. “Prime Minister Tong is too kind. I am merely an invalid, barely clinging to life; I can hardly be called ‘working hard.'”

The envoy chuckled dryly and cut to the chase. He produced a copy of a document bearing the seal of the Ministry of War from his robes and presented it with both hands. “Prime Minister Tong knows that Young Master cares deeply about Liangshan’s future and has ordered me to deliver this as a token of his sincerity.”

Yan Qing took it and was inwardly shaken. It was a draft Ministry of War document concerning “deliberations on the pacification of Liangshan Marsh,” which explicitly proposed that after pacification, Liangshan’s forces would be disbanded and redeployed to the northwestern frontier or the front lines of the southern rebellions, while their leaders would either be granted nominal positions to appease them or dealt with on fabricated charges. Although merely a draft, it exposed the true intentions of the imperial court, or at least Tong Guan’s faction, regarding Liangshan’s pacification – not genuine acceptance, but division and disintegration, and the elimination of their enemies through others!

If this document were to reach Liangshan, it would undoubtedly be a devastating blow, shattering the illusions of Song Jiang and the others about pacification!

“What does Prime Minister Tong mean by this?” Yan Qing suppressed her inner turmoil and calmly placed the document on the table.

The envoy lowered his voice. “Prime Minister Tong frankly admits that there may have been misunderstandings before. Cai Jing and others are advocating for pacification, but their true intentions are malicious, aiming to achieve a ‘drive the tiger to swallow the wolf’ and ‘kill the rabbit to silence the dog’ plan. Although Prime Minister Tong advocates for suppression, it is for the sake of the imperial court and the nation. He does not wish to see the brave men of Liangshan misled by villains and meet such a fate. If Young Master Yan and Steward Lu, who understand the situation, can recognize the reality and cooperate with Prime Minister Tong from within, Prime Minister Tong can guarantee that after the matter is concluded, he will petition the court for preferential treatment for the heroes of Liangshan. Steward Lu, Young Master Yan, and others will be given important positions, which is far better than being manipulated by the likes of Cai Jing.”

His words were grand and noble, but in essence, it was still an attempt to sow discord and win them over, merely with a more “sincere” facade and a more substantial “token of sincerity” (this Ministry of War document).

Had Yan Qing not received Li Shishi’s counsel, she might have wavered for a moment at such “sincerity.” But now, she could only sneer inwardly. Tong Guan and Cai Jing were merely different kinds of wolves and leopards, both eager to devour Liangshan.

She did not answer immediately. Instead, she picked up the Ministry of War document, slowly and deliberately refolded it, but did not return it to the envoy. She casually tucked it into her sleeve.

The envoy blinked. “Young Master Yan, this is…”

Yan Qing looked up, her gaze calm yet possessing an undeniable power, and fixed it on the envoy. A hint of a smile, neither truly a smile nor a frown, played on her lips. “I accept this ‘token of sincerity.’ However, the method of cooperation will have to change.”

The envoy frowned slightly. “What does Young Master mean by that?”

“Go back and tell Prime Minister Tong,” Yan Qing stood up, looking down at him. Her tone was casual, yet each word was clear. “If he wants to cooperate, he can. But it cannot be this clandestine, one-sided communication. If he truly has sincerity, he must present a plan that can genuinely guarantee the lives and futures of the Liangshan brothers, not these schemes to pit one against another. Otherwise…”

She paused, her voice turning slightly cold. “Otherwise, this Ministry of War document might, one day, find its way to Grand Chancellor Cai’s desk, or… be sent directly back to the Hall of Righteous Gathering at Liangshan Marsh. I believe Grand Chancellor Cai and Brother Song Jiang would be very interested in this document.”

The envoy’s face changed drastically! He had never imagined that Yan Qing would not only confiscate this crucial document but also dare to threaten Tong Guan in return! This was a complete reversal of roles!

“Young Master Yan! You… are you declaring war on Prime Minister Tong?!” the envoy exclaimed, both shocked and enraged.

“Declare war?” Yan Qing chuckled. “As I said, I wish to cooperate. But cooperation must be on my terms. My terms are simple – equality and mutual benefit. If Prime Minister Tong still harbors intentions of bribery and manipulation, then this cooperation is not worth discussing. See him out!”

The last two words were directed at Shi Xiu, who had been guarding the door and appeared without anyone noticing.

Shi Xiu strode in, his imposing frame exuding an intimidating aura. The envoy, looking at Yan Qing’s resolute eyes and then at the ferocious Shi Xiu, knew that there was no possibility of a favorable outcome today. With a dark expression, he left dejectedly.

After seeing off Tong Guan’s envoy, Yan Qing immediately informed Li Shishi of the matter.

When Li Shishi heard that she had confiscated the Ministry of War document and threatened Tong Guan in return, she was initially taken aback, then clapped her hands and laughed heartily, her eyes shining with brilliance. “Excellent! A perfect reversal of guest and host! With this, Tong Guan will be hesitant to act rashly for fear of repercussions and may even be forced to reconsider our ‘cooperation’ terms. This document has indeed become a valuable card in our hand.”

She mused, “However, Tong Guan is an old fox. This action has thoroughly angered him. We must accelerate our pace. It is time for the contents of this document to be ‘inadvertently’ leaked back to Liangshan. Only when Song Jiang, Lu Junyi, and the others personally witness the court’s ‘sincerity’ can our plan truly begin.”

Yan Qing nodded, knowing that the most critical step was about to be taken.

The undercurrents in Tokyo, due to her move of turning the tables, began to shift. And a greater storm was brewing a thousand miles away at Liangshan Marsh.

—

(End of Chapter Twenty-Three)