Chapter 57: Maneuvering (1)

The next day, Shen Xiling was awakened by the sound of a fierce argument.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in an unfamiliar room. It wasn’t very large, about ten paces square. She was lying on a couch, surrounded by neatly stacked manuscripts, letters, and papers. There was also a small standing cabinet nearby. Curious, she walked over and opened it to find men’s clothing inside.

At first, she was startled. After all, she clearly remembered being in the Forget Room last night with Master Qi Yin. They had talked for a long time, yet now she woke up in a place she didn’t recognize—naturally, her heart raced with unease. However, upon seeing the clothes in the cabinet, she recognized them as belonging to Qi Yin and immediately calmed down.

But outside the door, the noise was deafening. Loud voices of men arguing could be heard, accompanied by the sound of objects being swept off surfaces and crashing to the ground. Shen Xiling’s heart pounded with anxiety. She tiptoed to the door, carefully opening it a crack to peek outside.

To her surprise, she realized she was now in the inner chamber of the Forget Room. The entrance was cleverly hidden behind towering bookshelves. Despite having visited several times before, she had never noticed this hidden space.

Through the gap in the door, she caught sight of Qi Yin’s back. Bai Song was there too, along with another man she didn’t recognize—a tall, burly figure with a full beard and a square face, roughly forty years old, holding a sword. He was visibly enraged. The Forget Room was in disarray—books scattered everywhere, shards of porcelain littering the floor, and furniture overturned.

Shen Xiling’s heart raced. She had no idea what was happening or who the older man was. Worse still, she feared he might harm Qi Yin, and her anxiety tightened like a knot in her chest.

The man Shen Xiling saw was none other than Han Shouye, the First Military Official of the Great Liang Dynasty.

The title of Grand General had been established in the previous dynasty, ranking above the Three Dukes. In times when the emperor was weak or young, the Grand General could seize control of the court. Although the current administration of the Liang Dynasty retained this office, over the past few decades, the cultural traditions of Jiangnan had gained prominence, causing the position of Grand General to decline somewhat in status. It no longer held as much power as the Left and Right Chancellors and was subtly overshadowed by them.

Even so, the Grand General remained the foremost military official in the Liang court, overseeing military affairs in Jiangnan alongside the Privy Council—an office of immense importance.

Han Shouye, aged forty-three, had held the position of Grand General for four years. Hailing from an aristocratic family, he was a cousin of the current head of the Han clan, Han Shousong. A seasoned warrior and scion of a prominent lineage, such figures typically did not have gentle tempers.

Han Shouye fit this stereotype perfectly.

Ever since narrowly escaping death at the hands of Gu Juhán in Shicheng last year, he had harbored deep resentment. Having spent half a year recuperating in Jiankang, his physical wounds had healed, but his emotional scars remained raw. The more he dwelled on it, the angrier he became. Day after day, he raged against Gao Wei and the Gu family, fantasizing about capturing Gu Juhán himself and exacting revenge with three thousand cuts.

Because of this simmering anger, he had long resented the Privy Council’s order to cease hostilities. However, out of respect for Qi Yin—the newly appointed Vice Minister of the Privy Council and son of the Left Chancellor, who was also likely to become the emperor’s son-in-law—he had restrained himself.

But he had not anticipated that this young man from the Qi family would dare kill Jiang Yong!

Fury overwhelmed him!

Upon hearing of Jiang Yong’s death a few days ago, Han Shouye had been consumed by rage. Yesterday, he learned that Qi Yin had returned to Jiankang, prompting him to storm into the Forget Room today, sword in hand, nearly tearing the roof off in his fury. Still unsatisfied, he brandished his sword at Qi Yin, saying, “They say new officials make a splash with their first three acts of authority. I’ve long heard of your decisive reputation, Lord Qi, but I never imagined your flames would burn so quickly toward me, Han!”

His demeanor was aggressive, his sword sharp and ready. Clearly, he was on the verge of losing control. Bai Song, as Qi Yin’s loyal retainer, naturally wouldn’t tolerate such disrespect. Though silent, his usual aloofness had transformed into a dangerous aura, his eyes glinting with latent ferocity.

Qi Yin discreetly restrained Bai Song and calmly instructed, “Go call Qingzhu to bring tea for Elder Uncle.”

Before Bai Song could react, Han Shouye let out a cold laugh, mocking, “I’m unworthy of being called ‘Elder Uncle’ by you, Lord Qi. You, with your lofty position and power, can casually execute a regional commander. How could I possibly presume to be your elder?”

Despite the biting sarcasm, Qi Yin remained unfazed, his expression calm and composed. Without a flicker of emotion, he signaled Bai Song to leave. After a moment’s hesitation, Bai Song reluctantly withdrew, casting one last wary glance at Han Shouye before stepping out.

As the door to the Forget Room slowly closed, Qi Yin gave a slight bow to Han Shouye, saying, “My servant was impolite. Please forgive him, Elder Uncle.”

Without waiting for a response, he bent down to pick up a chair that had been knocked over during the earlier commotion. Gesturing to Han Shouye, he said, “Please, take a seat.”

Han Shouye had no intention of sitting, but his earlier outburst had left him somewhat tired. Qi Yin’s calm demeanor made him subconsciously feel that his own display of rage appeared undignified in front of this younger man.

With a derisive snort, he thought, Fine, I’ll sit. Let’s see how this young Qi boy plans to sweet-talk me into calming down.

He reluctantly took his seat.

After Han Shouye sat, Qi Yin also pulled up a chair and seated himself. Addressing Han Shouye, he said, “The turmoil in Shicheng has yet to subside, and Gao Wei’s forces have not withdrawn. I should not have returned to Jiankang at this time. However, considering the matter of Jiang Yong, I felt I owed you an explanation. That is why I came back early. I intended to visit your residence today, but apparently, I was too slow. My apologies for my tardiness. Please forgive me, Elder Uncle.”

Han Shouye waved his hand dismissively, fuming. “Don’t try to smooth-talk me! Just explain this—Jiang Yong, a regional commander and fourth-rank official, how could you execute him so casually!”

Qi Yin’s expression remained unperturbed as he brushed dust from his sleeves. Calmly, he asked, “Have you heard of Jiang Yong’s treason, Elder Uncle?”

At this, Han Shouye sneered again. “Lord Qi is renowned for his intelligence, and now that you oversee the Privy Council, your reach knows no bounds. To justify killing someone, you conjure up charges of treason at will. How could I not have heard?”

Han Shouye had indeed heard rumors of Jiang Yong’s alleged betrayal, but he refused to believe them.

Jiang Yong had once been his deputy, a general he had personally promoted after years of shared battles. Watching Jiang rise step by step, how could he easily accept that he had become a traitor to the Liang Dynasty? Deep down, he was convinced that this was Qi Jingchen’s fabrication to cover up the unauthorized execution of a court official. Naturally, he dismissed the accusation.

Qi Yin seemed unsurprised by Han Shouye’s reaction and showed no sign of irritation. With composure, he replied, “It is said that Gu Juhán wields his troops with divine precision, almost as if he were a celestial warrior. Last year’s battle in Shicheng pushed even you, Elder Uncle, to the brink of peril. But have you ever wondered how Gu Juhán managed to pinpoint your exact position on the battlefield so effortlessly?”

When Han Shouye heard the first part of Qi Yin’s statement, he assumed it was meant to provoke him by referencing last year’s defeat. Just as he was about to explode in anger, the latter part of the sentence gave him pause.

Last year’s battle in Shicheng had been grueling. The Wei army was formidable, having seized several counties in quick succession. However, Shicheng’s natural defenses made it difficult to conquer, leaving Gu Juhán temporarily stymied. For months, the two armies faced off across the Yangtze River, locked in a stalemate.

Eventually, Han Shouye, impatient under pressure from repeated imperial inquiries about the war’s progress, launched an attack without adequate preparation, leading to a disastrous defeat.

Though this loss was significant, it wasn’t catastrophic—until somehow, Gu Juhán discovered Han Shouye’s precise location within the formation. Exploiting this knowledge, he broke through the Liang army’s defenses, nearly decapitating Han Shouye and causing widespread panic among the Liang troops, which ultimately led to their collapse.

Gu Juhán, despite his youth, had already earned a reputation as a war god. Han Shouye had always believed that Gu Juhán’s success in locating him was due to a combination of strategic foresight and sheer luck. But now, hearing Qi Yin’s words, doubt crept into his mind.

A flicker of suspicion appeared in his eyes just as Qi Yin continued, “You must already understand what I’m implying. Last year’s defeat was caused by Jiang Yong’s betrayal.”

Han Shouye was momentarily speechless, stunned into silence. Finally regaining his composure, he opened his mouth to angrily accuse Qi Yin of slander—but before he could speak, Qi Yin had already risen and walked to the desk, retrieving a stack of documents and handing them to him.

Suspicious, Han Shouye took the papers, glaring at Qi Yin. “What is this?”

Qi Yin calmly resumed his seat, replying, “Knowing you wouldn’t trust me, I prepared conclusive evidence before returning south. These documents are for His Majesty’s review—and for you to examine.”

Han Shouye looked down and saw that the papers bore the Privy Council’s official seal. They listed a series of military traitors, including spies operating in Shicheng. As he flipped through, he found correspondence between Jiang Yong and Gu Juhán dating back to last year.

While reading, he heard Qi Yin’s steady voice beside him. “Jiang Yong’s collusion with Gao Wei has been ongoing for some time. When Xu Zhengning and I went to Nanling, our mission was twofold: to repel the Wei forces and to cleanse Shicheng. You may not trust me, Elder Uncle, but surely you recognize Jiang Yong’s handwriting in these letters. I haven’t fabricated anything.”

Qi Yin’s tone was unruffled. “As for the Privy Council’s documents, they bear the seals of both Xu Zhengning and Zhu Wei. Their integrity is well-known to you, having served in the court far longer than I. If they were to forge documents for my sake, the Privy Council would be in chaos, and the Liang Dynasty would likely have fallen by now.”

His words, though calm, struck Han Shouye like thunderclaps, unsettling him deeply.

Having arrived in a fit of rage, he now found himself silenced by this younger man, leaving him feeling humiliated. Han Shouye, accustomed to wielding authority, refused to concede defeat. Though shaken, he stubbornly insisted, “Even if Jiang Yong’s betrayal were true, sentencing him to death should have awaited His Majesty’s judgment! How dare you decide such a matter on your own!”

Han Shouye only spoke half of what he truly felt.

Jiang Yong’s execution wasn’t just about Qi Jingchen’s perceived arrogance; it was also a blow to his pride. As the Grand General and foremost military official of the Liang court, one of his protégés had been publicly executed by a newcomer like Qi Yin. How could he maintain face in the court? If he didn’t stand up for Jiang Yong, who else would follow him?

Though unspoken, Qi Yin understood his concerns. Still calm, he addressed Han Shouye. “Since Jiang Yong was a traitor, he was unfit to lead. I executed him, and if His Majesty chooses to punish me, I will bear the consequences alone. However, Shicheng’s situation is critical—it cannot go a single day without a commander. I have already drafted an order to transfer Zeng Yi, the commander of Fancheng, to Shicheng.”