Forty-six
Princess Fukang's escape from danger was like a gentle breeze, temporarily dispelling the gloom that hung over the palace. However, Zhao Zhen, Bao Zheng, Zhan Zhao, and Xuan Yuan Tianyi all knew that this was merely thwarting one of the sinister plots of the remnants of Prince An, and it was far from a time when they could rest easy.
Following this incident, a purge was quietly launched within the palace, and several eunuchs and palace servants of dubious identities were dealt with silently. Zhao Zhen used this opportunity to reorganize the inner court, replacing palace guards and those in important positions with more reliable personnel. However, the descendant of Prince An, "Zhao Zongji," who remained hidden deep within, remained elusive, like a venomous snake in the night.
Meanwhile, the Liao delegation stranded in Bianjing became increasingly restless. Although Yelü Zongzhen and Xiao Talan no longer openly challenged the court, their private activities were frequent, and their interactions with certain court officials seemed to have become closer. Military reports from the border also indicated that the Liao army's small-scale raids had not only not ceased but had intensified, the border disputes remained unresolved, and the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense.
At the court assembly that day, Yelü Zongzhen ascended the throne again. Although his tone was slightly gentler than before, the threatening undertone in his words remained undiminished: "Your Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, my lord's patience is limited. If the matter of the border tax amount is delayed any longer, the young men on the border are hot-blooded, and I fear that a slight misstep could lead to an unspeakable disaster."
In the imperial court, the debate between those advocating war and those advocating peace raged once again. Zhao Gao sat on the dragon throne, his face calm, but his mind was as clear as a mirror. The Liao people were using force as a backing to press forward step by step, attempting to extract the greatest benefit in negotiations on the one hand, and on the other hand, probably creating opportunities for their accomplices hidden within Song territory, thus diverting the Song Dynasty's attention.
After the court session, in the Imperial Study.
Emperor Zhao Zhen, the Eighth Prince, Bao Zheng, and Zhan Zhao, who was granted special permission to participate in confidential matters, all gathered together.
“Yelü Zongzhen is stalling for time and testing our bottom line,” the Eighth Prince said in a deep voice. “The remnants of the Prince of An are causing trouble within the territory and are colluding with the Liao people from within. If we cannot eliminate the internal troubles as soon as possible, I am afraid we will be put on the defensive in terms of diplomacy and the border.”
Bao Zheng nodded in agreement: "Your Highness is absolutely right. We are currently in the open while the enemy is in the shadows. Passive response is not a good strategy. We must take the initiative and break their collusion."
Zhao Zhen's gaze fell on Zhan Zhao: "Zhan Zhao, what are your thoughts on the current situation?"
Zhan Zhao pondered for a moment, then stepped forward, his voice steady and clear: "Your Majesty, Your Highness, Lord Bao. The Liao envoy is in the capital, and the remnants of Prince An's faction are lurking in the shadows; the two must be connected. Our current investigation in Bianjing has been repeatedly thwarted because the other side is too well hidden. I believe we might consider a different approach."
"Oh? Tell me more." Zhao Zhen gestured for him to continue.
"Yelü Zongzhen is so fearless because his intelligence network and support system within Song territory must be his reliance. Instead of dealing with his cronies in Bianjing, we should strike at the heart of the problem, penetrate deep into Liao territory, and investigate the strength and weaknesses of his country. If we can find conclusive evidence of his collusion with the remnants of Prince An, we might be able to seize the initiative and even cut off his supply lines." Zhan Zhao's sharp eyes revealed a bold idea.
"Go deep into Liao territory?" Bao Zheng frowned slightly. "This is far too dangerous. Liao is not like Song. If we are exposed, the consequences will be unimaginable."
Zhan Zhao said, “I can infiltrate under the guise of a caravan guard or a martial arts practitioner. Although the name of Zhan Zhao, the Southern Hero, is well-known in the martial arts world, there should not be many people in the Liao Kingdom who recognize my face. Moreover…” He paused, “I have met with Yelü Zongzhen and Xiao Talan in the court and have some knowledge of them and their entourage. Perhaps I can find some clues from them.”
The Eighth Prince stroked his beard and pondered: "What Guard Zhan said is a risky move, but if it succeeds, the benefits will be enormous. However, we must be extremely cautious."
Zhao Zhen remained silent, his fingers lightly tapping the dragon-headed desk. He looked at Zhan Zhao's resolute eyes, weighing his options. He was naturally worried about sending Zhan Zhao deep into the tiger's den, but the current situation seemed to indeed require such a surprising move to break the deadlock. Moreover, he knew Zhan Zhao's abilities and temperament well.
"How confident are you?" Zhao Zhen asked slowly.
"I dare not presume to claim certainty," Zhan Zhao replied truthfully. "But I will certainly do my utmost and act with utmost caution. Moreover, I will not be going alone; I will find reliable people to accompany and support me."
Zhao Zhen's eyes flickered slightly as he thought of Bai Yutang. That "White-haired Rat" was highly skilled in martial arts, resourceful, and had excellent chemistry with Zhan Zhao; he was indeed an excellent candidate.
"In that case... I grant your request." Zhao Zhen finally made up his mind. "This matter is confidential and must not be leaked in the slightest except to those present. If you need anything, just let me know, and I will have the Imperial City Guard cooperate secretly."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhan Zhao knelt on one knee to accept the order.
"Get up." Zhao Zhen raised his hand. "You must prioritize your own safety. Evidence is important, but I want you to return safely."
"Your subject will certainly not fail in his mission!"
With the plan set, preparations began in earnest. Zhan Zhao removed his official robes, changed into ordinary clothes for a wandering swordsman, and carefully wrapped the Giant Sword in a cloth bag. Bai Yutang, hearing of such an exciting event, naturally eagerly joined in. He was accustomed to traveling the martial world, and disguising his identity was his forte.
Xuan Yuan Tianyi did not stop him, but silently prepared various possible elixirs for Zhan Zhao—antidotes, healing pills, disguise pills, and even smoke bombs for escape in critical moments. She placed a small brocade pouch into Zhan Zhao's arms and whispered, "Inside is my specially made 'Heart-to-Heart Gu.' The offspring Gu is in your body, and the mother Gu is with me. If you are seriously injured or your life is in danger, the mother Gu will sense it... Be careful in everything."
Zhan Zhao held her hand, feeling the warmth from her palm, and solemnly promised, "Wait for me to come back."
Three days later, a silk caravan from Jiangnan quietly left Bianjing. The caravan was not large, and the workers and guards all looked ordinary. Among the guards were two ordinary-looking, taciturn young men, one with a calm gaze and the other with a faint, lazy smile on his lips. They were Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang in disguise.
Their chosen route was via Hebei Road, across the border, and into the Nanjing Road of the Liao Dynasty. This route had frequent caravan traffic, making it relatively easy to blend in.
The caravan owner was a reliable person arranged by the Imperial City Guard. He was fully aware of Zhan Bai and his companion's true identities and made meticulous arrangements for their journey.
The closer one gets to the border, the more distinct the atmosphere becomes. On the Song side, village and town checkpoints are noticeably more heavily guarded, with stricter checks and a tense atmosphere pervading the air. But once you cross the border and enter Liao territory, you see rows of military camps, patrolling Liao soldiers, and herders and merchants with distinct Khitan features—the scenery and customs are vastly different from those on the Song side.
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang concealed their presence and tried not to attract attention, but secretly noted down the Liao army's deployment, grain reserves, and various rumors circulating in the city along their route.
On this day, the caravan arrived in Nanjing, the capital of the Liao Dynasty, which the Song Dynasty called Youzhou. As the secondary capital of the Liao Dynasty, Youzhou was a large city. Although it was not as prosperous as Bianjing, it was still bustling with activity, and various ethnic groups lived together, creating a lively scene.
The caravan checked into a large inn called "Northern Wind." After settling in, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang used the excuse of getting acquainted with the surroundings to leave the inn and wander around the city seemingly casually.
Youzhou City was divided into Han City and Uyghur City, and its layout differed considerably from that of cities in the Central Plains. The two men mainly operated in Han City, which was inhabited by Han people and other ethnic groups, and where commerce was more developed.
Walking along the bustling streets, amidst the cacophony of Khitan, Chinese, and other tribal languages, Zhan Zhao remained vigilant but outwardly composed. He noticed that the Liao army patrolled the city frequently, especially near important government offices and residences.
"Cat, look over there." Bai Yutang quietly pointed in a direction with his folding fan.
Zhan Zhao looked in the direction he pointed and saw an imposing mansion with a constant stream of carriages and horses, heavily guarded, and a plaque above the gate that read "Wei Wang Mansion" in Chinese characters.
"The Prince of Wei's residence?" Zhan Zhao's heart skipped a beat. He remembered that the intelligence from his secret guards mentioned that Yelü Zongzhen had been granted the title of Prince of Wei in the Liao Kingdom, so this must be his residence in Youzhou.
"Looks like we've arrived." Bai Yutang's lips curled into a playful smile.
The two did not approach, but observed from a distance for a moment. They saw people dressed as merchants in Song Dynasty clothing entering and exiting the side gate of the palace from time to time, which clearly showed that Yelü Zongzhen had close ties with merchants from Song.
"Let's go check out the market," Zhan Zhao said in a low voice. The market is a place where all sorts of people gather, and it's also the easiest place to gather information.
The market in Youzhou City was bustling with activity, displaying a dazzling array of goods: furs, medicinal herbs, livestock, ironware, and more. Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang mingled among the crowd, seemingly selecting goods, but in reality, they were listening intently to their surroundings.
They stopped in front of a stall selling porcelain from the Central Plains; the stall owner was a shrewd old Han Chinese man.
"Gentlemen, take a look at our porcelain! It's all top-quality stuff from Jiangnan!" the old man greeted them warmly.
Bai Yutang picked up a porcelain bottle and casually played with it, then asked seemingly unintentionally, "Old man, business is good, isn't it? I see quite a few merchants coming and going from the Prince of Wei's residence. Can your goods get into the Prince's residence?"
Upon hearing this, the old man's face revealed a smug yet cautious smile: "This gentleman has a good eye. To be honest, I can indeed occasionally supply some goods to the Prince's residence. However... that only if the Prince's purchasing department approves." He lowered his voice, "His Highness Prince Wei appreciates the goods from the Central Plains, especially exquisite porcelain and silk, and he is generous with his prices. It's just that recently... the inspections have become stricter, especially on merchants from our Song territory."
"Oh? Why are you investigating so strictly?" Zhan Zhao asked casually.
The old man looked around and lowered his voice even further: "I heard... it's not peaceful in the south, they're afraid of spies getting in. A few days ago, they even arrested a few suspicious Song people..." He shook his head and said no more.
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchanged a glance, realizing that this "suspicious Song person" was probably not really a spy sent by the Song Dynasty, but more likely someone sent by the remnants of Prince An to contact Yelü Zongzhen, or perhaps Yelü Zongzhen himself was deliberately creating a smokescreen.
After chatting for a few more minutes, they bought a small porcelain bottle and left the stall.
I wandered around the market and collected a lot of fragmented information, but it was all superficial and failed to get to the heart of the matter.
As evening fell, the two returned to the North Wind Inn. Just as they entered their room, the caravan owner quietly approached them and whispered, "Lord Zhan, Young Master Bai, I just received news that the Prince of Wei's mansion is hosting a banquet in three days. It's said they've invited prominent merchants from Youzhou, and it seems... they have something important to discuss."
A banquet at night? Or a meeting to discuss important matters?
A glint of light flashed in Zhan Zhao's eyes. This might be an opportunity!
"Do you know who the invited people are? Can we sneak in?" Bai Yutang asked immediately.
The caravan leader looked troubled: "Those invited are all wealthy merchants with long-standing ties to the Prince's Palace and powerful backgrounds. We're just a small caravan... However, I've heard that the banquet requires a large number of servants, and the Prince's Palace is recruiting temporary servants, especially those familiar with Central Plains etiquette and cuisine..."
servant?
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang exchanged glances again. This was indeed a way to infiltrate the Prince's mansion! Although extremely risky, if successful, they might gain access to core secrets!
"This matter requires careful consideration," Zhan Zhao said in a deep voice. Infiltrating the Prince's residence is no small matter; it must be meticulously planned.
That night, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang discussed their plan carefully in their room. Infiltrating the Prince's mansion was fraught with danger; they would not only have to contend with the tight security but also be wary of potential martial arts masters. However, if they succeeded, they might find evidence of collusion between the Liao Kingdom and the remnants of Prince An's faction, and perhaps even uncover their next move.
"Let's do it!" Bai Yutang slammed his hand on the table, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I, Fifth Master, will also venture into the Dragon's Den and Tiger's Pass!"
Zhan Zhao nodded, his gaze resolute. He knew this journey was perilous, but to break the deadlock and for the peace of the Song Dynasty, he had to take the risk.
He subconsciously touched the brocade pouch given to him by Xuan Yuan Tianyi in his bosom. The cold jade bottle pressed against his chest, as if carrying her concern and strength.
Three days later, at the banquet held at the Prince of Wei's residence, will be the time for their operation.
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