On the eighteenth day of the first month, after making all the necessary arrangements, Hu Xiaotian assembled nine thousand soldiers aboard twenty large warships. Carrying five hundred thousand jin of grain and fifty thousand taels of gold, they departed from Xiasha Port in Eastern Liang Commandery and sailed downstream along the Yong River toward the East Sea. Their target was Python Jiao Island.
For this expedition, Hu Xiaotian personally appointed Chang Fanqi as the commanding general responsible for battle operations, entrusted navigation and fleet coordination to Yang Yuanqing, and assigned intelligence gathering to Xia Changming.
Although Zhuge Guanqi did not accompany them, he expressed complete confidence in Hu Xiaotian's expedition. Before Hu Xiaotian departed, the two had drawn up various contingency plans, but each situation required its own analysis. Which plan they should actually adopt would have to be determined after they reached Python Jiao Island and assessed conditions there.
As Hu Xiaotian headed to the East Sea to stamp out the pirates, Li Yongfu successfully delivered one hundred thousand shi of grain to Haizhou, handing it over to a Great Kang general at the docks. Meanwhile, word of Hu Xiaotian's grave illness reached the Imperial Palace.
Long Xuan'en naturally did not believe the rumors that Hu Xiaotian was ill. He had already expected that Hu Xiaotian would not dare come to the capital himself. On the fifteenth day of the first month, the restoration of Spirit Firmament Palace on Misty Mountain was completed, and the Old Emperor visited that evening. Returning to this familiar place stirred endless emotion in his heart.
Hong Beimo, who accompanied him, asked respectfully, "Your Majesty, are you satisfied with the restoration?"
Long Xuan'en nodded. "Yes. Minister Hong, I have always had confidence in your work."
Hong Beimo said, "Everything here has been restored according