Chapter 404: Alone in a Lonely Lodge

In the early spring of the southern lands, the rejuvenating wind warmed the earth. As the most prosperous metropolis of the Jiangdong region, Jinling had already recovered from the harsh winter ahead of time.

The canals linking the city and its outskirts flowed sluggishly. A flock of white ducks paddled about, playing and foraging in their master's pond, quacking noisily. Beyond the water barriers, all manner of southern boats passed in an endless stream, bearing varied loads, shuttling between markets and wards.

Standing on the pavilion of the guest lodge, leaning against the railing to gaze out, Tao Gu stroked his beard with great dignity, silently comparing the Eastern Capital with Jinling. In Tao Gu's view, in terms of market bustle and abundance of goods, the current Eastern Capital could not match Jinling—and as for the people's standard of living, it was even further behind.

Tao Gu sincerely envied Jinling's prosperity, its beautiful scenery, and its graceful beauties. Of course, that was an envy tinged with the desire to conquer and destroy. As a close minister of the Son of Heaven of the Great Han, Tao Gu still kept his identity firmly in mind; his seat would not tilt.

Sitting alone at the low table, he ordered the lodge attendant to bring the tea set, prepared the charcoal fire, and took out the fine tea bestowed by the Tang sovereign Li Jing... He summoned his attendant envoy, and doing it himself, the two sat facing each other to savor it. Two or three pots of strong tea turned to plain water, and thus the time passed.

"Winter gone, spring come, lodging alone in a lonely lodge, sipping plain tea—I wonder how much longer these days will last..." Tao Gu could not help but sigh, his face full of tedium.

Hearing this, the attendant envoy cupped his hands and asked: "Lord Tao, we have come south to Jinling for over a month now. The envoy's mission has been accomplished—why do we still linger here?"

The secret mission Tao Gu had received was not something a mere attendant clerk could know. Seeing the question, Tao Gu shook his head and said: "I have my own unspeakable difficulties!"

"Could it be that the court has secretly instructed something else?" the attendant envoy asked.

Tao Gu raised a finger and wagged it at him a few times, speaking in a warning tone: "Since you have your guesses, you must know that some matters are not to be asked about!"

"Yes! This humble official spoke out of turn! It's just that..." Seeing this, the attendant envoy's face showed hesitation.

"Just what?" Tao Gu was somewhat puzzled.

"It's just that this humble official has heard that in the markets of Jinling, people have lately been discussing that our court wishes to ally with the Southern Tang to jointly divide the Ma Chu..."

"What!" Tao Gu was startled, almost incredulous: "The court's secret affairs have already leaked to the common folk?"

"I only watched the false Tang's sovereign and ministers, but failed to mind the streets!" After a moment's thought, Tao Gu came to his senses, first shaking his head, then bursting into laughter: "The false Tang's sovereign and ministers are so careless with secrets that matters of state and military are debated among the people—how can they be a match for our court?"

Since leaving on his mission to Jinling last winter, a month had passed. The normal ceremonial exchanges, of course, had posed no problem. But as for the key "proposal to divide Chu," ever since Tao Gu had raised it, there had been no result...

Tao Gu had originally thought the Southern Tang's sovereign and ministers might be tempted, or might refuse, or might hesitate—but he had not expected them to agonize for so long without reaching a conclusion to answer the Northern Han.

As such, it was Tao Gu who suffered. He idled all day in the guest lodge, drinking wine and savoring tea. The pleasure quarters of the Qinhuai still held their allure for him, but constrained by that "casual talk" the Son of Heaven had given him before his departure, a taut line remained in his mind, and he dared not indulge.

Thus, the days grew ever harder to endure. Without a beauty to add incense, even composing poetry and lyrics felt utterly dull. Only when the Tang sovereign summoned him several times to palace banquets could he take the opportunity to briefly savor the extravagance of the Southern Tang court.

"Sigh... waiting forever is no solution! I must seek an audience with the Tang sovereign again!" Tao Gu said.

Having spoken, he fell silent, his expression troubled, as if pondering his next move.

At this moment, the attendant envoy, with a somewhat ingratiating smile, asked: "Lord Tao, this guest lodge is terribly dull. Would this humble official make some small arrangements to provide amusement?"

The attendant envoy had heard something of Tao Gu's particular habits.

"Hm?" Tao Gu's spirits lifted at the words. Noticing the man's fawning smile, he was somewhat tempted—but gritting his teeth, he waved his hands repeatedly: "No! No! No!"

Suppressing the impulse, he heaved a heavy sigh and dismissed the attendant envoy. He ordered the lodge attendant to bring wine, and drank alone until slightly tipsy. Then he took up brush and ink, staggered to the side, and wrote on the wall of the room: "Xichuan dog, common folk's eye, horse-wrapped bundle, imperial kitchen's fare..."

While Tao Gu, parched and restless in the guest lodge, could barely sit still, in the Jinling palace city, within the ** hall, a grand imperial banquet was drawing to a close. Song and dance, pipes and strings, cups clinking and passing—what a merry time.

When the mood struck, someone brought up old matters. With bellies full and wine drunk, it was time to discuss affairs of state.

Throughout the gathering of sovereign and ministers, drinking wine and composing poetry, Li Jing had remained thoroughly entertained. But when mention came of the matter that had been troubling him lately, he could not help but sigh. He coughed heavily, drawing the somewhat scattered attention of his ministers, and asked: "Ministers, the Northern Han's proposal has been dragged out for a long time now. We must give an answer. What decision should the Great Tang make?"

The false Tang's sovereign and ministers had already discussed this matter several times, and as always, they had split into two factions: the northern-origin scholar group and the Jianghuai bureaucratic group. But this time, the northern group, which had always advocated "aggression," supported refusal, while the southerners advocated agreement, seizing the opportunity to take Hunan.

At this moment, as soon as Li Jing spoke, Han Xizai stepped forward. He had not drunk much, his eyes clear and bright, and said in a ringing voice: "Your Majesty, the Northern Han is a nation of tigers and wolves. For them to suddenly raise this proposal, their motives must be impure, harboring treacherous designs. To scheme with them is no different from asking a tiger for its hide. I earnestly beg Your Majesty to be cautious!"

Han Xizai, the leader of the northern scholars who had always advocated aggressive expansion, now vigorously urged the Southern Tang not to move its troops—this was quite unexpected. When Tao Gu had first come with this proposal, Han Xizai had been the first to oppose it, with a firm attitude, holding to his convictions and contending with court ministers, even breaking into fierce arguments several times.

And sure enough, as soon as his words fell, Feng Yansi, who had returned to the Southern Tang's central government to resume the post of chancellor, stepped forward. He glanced at Han Xizai and said flatly: "Vice Minister Han repeatedly says such things—then pray explain, what exactly is impure about the Northern Han's motives, and what treacherous designs do they harbor?"

Though Han Xizai had his awareness and sense of crisis, to truly state plainly what the Northern Han's intentions were—he could hardly make wild guesses.

Just as he was about to turn the matter around and persuade, he heard Feng Yansi continue, his words now carrying mockery: "A few years ago, Vice Minister Han was vigorously advocating external expansion and territorial conquest, daily taking as his ambition the northern expedition to the Central Plains and the return of the capital to Chang'an! And now what? Has your ambition withered and your spirit flagged? The Ma Chu is in chaos, a vast stretch of land lies right at the Great Tang's doorstep, ready to be devoured at a single bite—yet you are so timid. Truly contemptible!"

Mocked thus, Han Xizai's pride immediately kindled anger within him. But he forcibly suppressed it, refusing to argue heatedly with Feng Yansi. Facing Li Jing, he spoke with earnest sincerity: "Your Majesty, your servant's personal ambition is a small matter; the safety of the Great Tang's altars of state is the great matter. War is the great affair of the nation, a matter of survival and death. Min has yet to be pacified, and Wuyue harries us from behind from time to time—how can we rashly intervene in Hunan? Since the Northern Han raised this proposal, they will surely be watching closely. Under their tiger's gaze, how can the Great Tang easily swallow this down?"

"Heh heh..." Feng Yansi laughed: "In my view, Vice Minister Han is boosting the Northern Han's morale and deflating our Great Tang's prestige! Ever since the last mission, he seems to have been constantly afraid of the Northern Han!"

"Your Majesty!" Feng Yansi solemnly bowed to Li Jing: "After the Ma brothers' internal strife, their national strength has greatly diminished, the people weak and the soldiers weary. And since Ma Xi'e seized the throne, he has been arrogant, extravagant, and dissolute, with chaotic governance and muddled decrees, showing little grace to those below—incurring the people's resentment and losing the soldiers' hearts. His is a state ripe for swift ruin. The Great Tang commands a hundred thousand troops, right at their doorstep. Even without the Northern Han's initiative, your servants would have advised Your Majesty to strike and seize the Chu lands in one fell swoop!"

"What Vice Minister Han fears is merely that the Northern Han harbors schemes!" Saying this, Feng Yansi glanced at Han Xizai and continued: "However, your servants believe that no matter what schemes the Northern Han has for Hunan, they are ultimately far off in the Central Plains, separated by the three prefectures of Jingnan. If they move troops, it would be a long-distance expedition; our great army is in the south and can easily contain them. The Northern Han has only stationed two thousand troops in Lizhou—which amply shows their timidity. As I see it, the Northern Han's purpose in making this proposal is likely to borrow our Great Tang's strength to destroy Chu, and then seize a share of the spoils!"

"Your servant believes that if we can accept their invitation and take all of the Chu lands, even if we give them a few prefectures and counties, in the end it will still be food in our mouths. Why should we fear it?"

"I beg Your Majesty not to miss this opportunity!"

Having heard the words of both Han and Feng, Li Jing once again fell into indecision, looking at Feng Yansi, then at Han Xizai.

"Your Majesty, please be extremely cautious!"

"Your Majesty, the opportunity must not be lost!"

After a long while, Li Jing suddenly asked: "What of the Han envoy, Tao Gu?"

At this mention, Feng Yansi smiled and replied: "I hear that Tao Gu, lodging in the guest house, is having a hard time of it!"

Li Jing said to Feng Yansi: "Minister Feng, I trouble you to host a private banquet and invite that Tao Gu for a talk, to probe this man's intentions!"

"As Your Majesty commands!" Feng Yansi quickly replied.

At the side, seeing Li Jing entrust Feng Yansi with this, Han Xizai felt a sense of foreboding rise in his heart.