Chapter 757: A Clean Getaway

The early summer sunlight, neither as gentle as spring nor as scorching as midsummer, still carried a sense of leisure and languor, its bright rays scattering in silken threads across the earth, shining upon the road as if able to dispel the oppression that hung over the soldiers marching along it.

The banners of Yan and Zhao fluttered lightly, the Han banners beside them. After staying a full seven days at Waqiao Pass and holding a cordial meeting and exchange with the Son of Heaven of Han, the Yan King Zhao Kuangzan and his party finally managed to extricate themselves smoothly and return north to Youzhou.

Trees lined the road with dense, luxuriant shade, while behind them lay the sturdy pass city and camp walls, receding ever farther. For those harboring guilty thoughts, there was a feeling of growing relief with each step of distance, as if they had escaped from a tiger's jaws.

As Waqiao Pass gradually vanished from sight, hidden behind hills and ridges, Zhao Siwan finally turned his head fully around, no longer looking southward, and let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Noticing Zhao Siwan's relaxed expression, Zhao Kuangzan said, "General Zhao, you were too tense!"

"Your Highness, only by getting far away from Waqiao Pass can I truly set my heart at ease!" Zhao Siwan revealed a smile: "To speak frankly, these past few days, I felt as if we were fish and meat on a chopping board, at the mercy of others..."

Noticing Zhao Kuangzan's silent expression, he added another line: "My own life and death are not worth regretting, but I fear for Your Highness's safety—the stakes are grave indeed!"

"During this time, the Son of Heaven has treated us with considerable courtesy and honor." Zhao Kuangzan glanced at Zhao Siwan and said, "You, General Zhao, even received a personal toast from the Son of Heaven, who praised your merits and valor. What, you have no feelings of gratitude at all?"

"The Son of Heaven certainly treated us with courtesy, but all that warmth is somewhat hard to digest!" Zhao Siwan replied.

"Indeed!" A trace of contemplation involuntarily appeared on Zhao Kuangzan's handsome face as he said softly: "The Son of Heaven's actions truly make one wonder—why such fervent warmth and generous treatment toward us? What exactly lies hidden behind that gentle smile..."

"To be honest with Your Highness, these past few days, the military officers from the north took turns hosting banquets. I could neither decline nor refuse—accepting the invitations only bred suspicion and fear!" Zhao Siwan wore a look of lingering dread: "I truly worried that amid the drinking and feasting, hidden soldiers would suddenly spring out and blades would fall upon us."

"You are overthinking this!" Seeing Zhao Siwan's still-fearful expression, Zhao Kuangzan said calmly: "The Son of Heaven has never once shown any intention of detaining us, from beginning to end. His words and actions have displayed nothing but warmth. Since he let us return north, it shows the court's great policy remains unchanged and his heart is sincere! Rather, it is you, with all your wariness and caution, who risks drawing attention!"

Hearing this, Zhao Siwan's expression shifted slightly, then he grinned and said: "I am but a crude man—how could I match Your Highness's cultivation, remaining calm and composed, unruffled in the face of crisis, never losing dignity!"

Before arriving at Waqiao Pass, Zhao Siwan had made all sorts of contingency plans in his heart, but from the moment he laid down his weapons and followed Zhao Kuangzan to pay homage to Liu Chengyou, all his schemes and calculations came to naught. Separated from the accompanying Yan cavalry, with only his own personal valor, he could hardly put up the slightest struggle.

During those days at Waqiao Pass, Zhao Kuangzan and his party received the most distinguished treatment and the warmest hospitality, with not a single point of discord. The only thing that felt incongruous was that the Emperor's attitude was so gentle and amiable as to be somewhat overwhelming.

Toward Zhao Kuangzan, Liu Chengyou observed the rites of an elder brother, having the assembled generals offer toasts, and even having several imperial princes raise their cups. At night, he would pull him into private drinking and conversation, discoursing on the affairs of the realm, and had the Empress personally pour wine for the two of them. Had Pure Consort Zhou been present, he likely would have had her play a few tunes to add to the merriment. Afterwards, he would set aside his beautiful consorts and share a bed with Zhao Kuangzan, sleeping foot to foot with him—and so it continued for several days in a row.

As for Zhao Siwan, Liu Chengyou also personally raised a cup to him, reviewing his merits with much praise and encouragement. To be fair, Zhao Siwan did have military achievements against the Great Han. In the first year of Qianyou, Wang Jun led troops to repel the Meng Shu invasion, defeating the Shu commander Zhang Qianzhao at Jifeng Mountain. In that bloody battle where the stockade was broken, Zhao Siwan had earned the foremost merit. That was also the first time Zhao Siwan's name reached Liu Chengyou's ears. Afterwards, Wang Jun submitted a memorial saying that Zhao Siwan was unruly and intractable, fierce and cruel, savage and unkind, and would surely bring disaster—requesting that Liu Chengyou have him executed.

Wang Jun's original motive may have been that Zhao Siwan had shown him disrespect, offending him, leading to retaliation. But judging from subsequent developments, what Wang Jun said had hit the mark.

And although Zhao Siwan displayed a violent nature, always showing himself as eccentric and defiant, and ordinarily spoke with disrespectful and suspicious words about the Han Emperor, when he actually came before Liu Chengyou, though he could not avoid a bit of restraint, it was more like donning a protective outer garment when facing a fierce beast—he behaved as docilely as a gentle kitten, humble and smiling.

At this moment, on the return journey, thinking back to his conduct at Waqiao Pass, Zhao Siwan actually felt a rare sense of shame, feeling he had lost some face.

Overall, during the audience at Waqiao Pass, Zhao Kuangzan had maintained his composure and equanimity throughout, while Zhao Siwan had suffered from persecution delusions, suspicion breeding phantoms, unable to find peace...

"Your Highness, though we have left the pass city, we should hasten our return north, lest the Han Emperor change his mind and send troops to intercept us!" Zhao Siwan's persecution complex had clearly grown somewhat severe. After estimating in his mind, he advised Zhao Kuangzan: "To the north is Baigou Post Station. We can cross the river directly at Liuliukou—once we're over the Juma River, there will be nothing to worry about!"

"Relax a little, General Zhao!" Hearing his counsel, Zhao Kuangzan sighed softly: "If the Son of Heaven truly wished to scheme against us, there would have been plenty of opportunities at Waqiao Pass. Since he let us leave, we might as well be at ease. There's no need to torment ourselves with baseless suspicion and anxiety here—showing ourselves in such a poor light would only make others think less of us!"

"Your Highness speaks truly!" After thinking it over again, Zhao Siwan couldn't help but acknowledge: "I was overthinking things!"

"Your Highness, if there is a next time, we must not come south like this again, placing ourselves within a city of peril!" Zhao Siwan suggested.

"Oh?" Zhao Kuangzan looked at Zhao Siwan with interest: "In your view, if the Son of Heaven summons me again in the future, what should I do?"

"I believe that even if the Son of Heaven does not personally come north to Youzhou, he should at least meet north of the Juma River—Yongqing would be a good spot..."

"You certainly dare to think big!" Zhao Kuangzan smiled faintly.

After considering for a while, Zhao Kuangzan instructed: "After we return to Youzhou, present the three hundred newly purchased war horses to the Eastern Capital!"

"What!" Zhao Siwan's expression changed at once upon hearing this: "Those were purchased at great expense! Your Highness knows well—although border trade between Han and Liao is flourishing, how strictly do the Khitan control and supervise horse trading? The price we paid to acquire this batch of war horses was enormous. And now we're just going to present them to the court?"

Zhao Siwan's tone was entirely unwilling, and Zhao Kuangzan understood—after all, that batch of war horses was meant to replenish Zhao Siwan's troops. But understanding was one thing; his decision and orders were not to be questioned. Zhao Kuangzan's tone also turned somewhat stern: "My mind is made up. Handle it upon our return. You need not say more!"

Noticing Zhao Kuangzan's expression, Zhao Siwan, however unwilling, could only answer in a subdued voice: "Yes!"

Seeing this, Zhao Kuangzan's tone softened a few degrees as he said: "I have not paid court audience for many years, only submitting memorials at each festival. Three hundred war horses—is that worth more than the money and grain the court allocates to Youzhou every year?"

"I am even thinking that if the opportunity arises, I should personally lead my civil and military officers to the capital to report on my duties and express gratitude!"

Hearing Zhao Kuangzan say this, Zhao Siwan's expression shifted between dark and bright. After a moment of silence, he said: "Your Highness, these three hundred horses presented to the court—I have no objection. But the horses distributed to other units in my army must be taken back, to maintain training..."

Due to financial constraints, the Yan army was also quite frugal in its military equipment. This time, they had purchased three hundred war horses in batches from the western Khitan tribes. While replenishing Zhao Siwan's unit, they had also retired three hundred old horses and distributed them to other units. Now, if Zhao Kuangzan wanted to present horses to the court, it was equivalent to taking Zhao Siwan's "property"—naturally he wanted to reclaim it, for how could General Zhao suffer a loss?

Hearing his words, Zhao Kuangzan understood his thinking and smiled: "No need for such trouble. Bear with it for now. After returning to Youzhou, I will allocate some money and silk from the princely residence and find a way to purchase more!"

"Yes!" Faced with Zhao Kuangzan's gentle attitude and words, Zhao Siwan could only swallow his objections and accept.

Observing his none-too-pleasant expression, Zhao Kuangzan's face still brimmed with a smile, though his eyelids drooped slightly and his gaze grew ever deeper. After this journey south, after years of covert observation, Zhao Kuangzan had now formed a final judgment on Zhao Siwan: this was a dangerous element—if allowed to develop further, he would sooner or later drag them into great calamity.

He had tolerated him before out of regard for his years of service to the Zhao family and his courage in battle, but now it was clear this man was increasingly losing sight of himself, expanding his power and influence with ever less restraint.

The future of Youyan was still hard to decide at present—one still needed to watch how the situation under heaven developed—but toward Zhao Siwan, measures of suppression, surveillance, and control were absolutely necessary.

Among the Yan army's officers, usable men were not limited to just one Zhao Siwan...