At the Northern Pacification Office, a messenger from the palace delivered the emperor's orders. Luo Yangxing immediately assigned two officers to keep watch on the Prince of De's residence, then remained seated at his desk, deep in thought.
On the desk lay a sheet of paper: the plan His Majesty had ordered him to submit on how to infiltrate the Jurchens.
His Majesty had given him five days, and this was already the last. Yet only a handful of words appeared on the page. If he failed to finish it today, he would probably earn a scolding from His Majesty.
It was not that Luo Yangxing could not write it. He was simply too agitated. His brain seemed filled with paste, gluing his once-clear thoughts together, or tangled in a chaotic spiderweb from which he could find no loose end.
Seeing that sitting there any longer would only waste time, Luo Yangxing put down his brush, summoned someone, and asked, "Is everything still normal in the Imperial Prison?"
The man found the question strange. What could possibly be abnormal in the Imperial Prison? Aside from the cell holding Lu Xiangsheng, which the commander had ordered everyone to stay away from, everything was perfectly fine.
The elderly officials were eating and sleeping well. Apart from the occasional quarrel, there was nothing unusual.
After hearing the report, Luo Yangxing still felt uneasy. He simply rose and headed toward the Imperial Prison. "I'll take a look myself."
He had just reached the entrance when he saw Yang Sichang speaking with the Embroidered Uniform Guards guarding the prison. Three or four servants stood behind him carrying food boxes, apparently hoping to deliver something inside.
"Grand Secretary Yang, what are you doing here?" Luo Yangxing stopped before Yang Sichang and swept his gaze over the men behind him. The imposing authority of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's commander made them immediately lower their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
As a grand secretary-and one valued by His Majesty-Yang Sichang was unafraid. "Commander Luo, those gentlemen have been locked up for some time now. We are colleagues at court, after all. I would like to visit them and bring them some food and supplies. Please make an exception!"
"Rest assured, Grand Secretary Yang. His Majesty ordered me to take good care of them, and I would never dare neglect that duty. As for a place like the Imperial Prison, you would do well not to be too curious!"
"What about Lord Lu? Did His Majesty also order you to take good care of him? I would like to offer him a few words of advice. Would that be possible?" Yang Sichang persisted.
At the name "Lu," Luo Yangxing's scalp prickled, and his irritation surged. "Grand Secretary Yang, His Majesty has ordered that no unauthorized person may enter the Imperial Prison. If you insist on going inside, I can accommodate you..."
Yang Sichang was delighted to hear this and immediately stepped forward to enter. He had taken only one step when Luo Yangxing raised an arm across his path. Puzzled, he looked up.
"Only, once you go in, getting out won't be so easy!" Luo Yangxing looked at Yang Sichang and slowly delivered his final words.
Only then did Yang Sichang understand what Luo Yangxing meant by saying he could enter. He actually intended to admit him as a prisoner! What audacity!
"Luo Yangxing, are you threatening me?" Yang Sichang flew into a rage and sneered. "Do you believe I'll go straight to the palace and submit an impeachment against you?"
"Be my guest!" Luo Yangxing replied mildly, then coldly ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guards at the entrance, "The Imperial Prison is a restricted place. No one but me may enter. Anyone who disobeys-"
"Will answer with his head!" the guards at the entrance shouted.
Luo Yangxing turned back and cast another glance at the livid Yang Sichang, then rested his hand on the Embroidered Spring Saber at his waist and strode into the Imperial Prison.
Yang Sichang's face twitched with fury. Looking at the guards, he repeated "Fine" several times, then turned and left with an angry snort.
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard... We'll see just how capable you really are!"
Luo Yangxing entered the Imperial Prison and went straight to the cell holding Fan Fucui and Huang Daozhou. Hearing him approach, the two men gave him a languid glance, then looked away again.
After standing at the entrance for a quarter of an hour, Luo Yangxing turned and left without saying a word.
"Is there something wrong with him?" Huang Daozhou could not help asking.
Fan Fucui shook his head. "No idea!"
"I wonder how things are outside. How long are we going to stay here?" Huang Daozhou looked at the little bed in the corner. "It's my turn to sleep in the bed tonight, isn't it?"
"Sleep, sleep, sleep! Take it!" Fan Fucui said disdainfully. "It's so hard, I'd rather sleep on the straw!"
As they spoke, footsteps sounded in the corridor again and stopped outside their cell. Chains rattled, and several Embroidered Uniform Guards entered with complicated expressions. They put down a pile of belongings and left again.
"What's all this?" Huang Daozhou walked to the entrance. "Brocade quilts... felt blankets... Old Fan, come look! They even brought a teapot and teacups. Ha, there's a box of pastries here too! There really must be something wrong with Luo Yangxing!"
Huang Daozhou's booming voice traveled down the corridor to the entrance. Hearing those words, Luo Yangxing wanted nothing more than to order his men to take everything back.
He had supplied them with good food and drink, worried that they might catch a chill at night, ordered extra braziers placed inside, and sent things to keep them warm. Yet they still spoke of him like this. Did they have any conscience at all?
"Ah, a sovereign's heart is unfathomable. Unfathomable indeed..."
Luo Yangxing had once firmly believed that the emperor was determined to negotiate peace. But after seeing him sneak out of the Imperial Prison with Lu Xiangsheng, that conviction had instantly wavered!
And the more he reflected on the emperor's actions over these past days, the stranger they seemed.
Keeping watch on the Fan residence without arresting anyone was clearly meant to let news of the court's movements spread through their mouths.
Originally, he had thought His Majesty needed someone to pass messages for the peace negotiations. Now he no longer dared be certain.
It was also possible that His Majesty meant to throw dust in the Jurchens' eyes, and that his true intention was still to fight!
But... Luo Yangxing still could not understand how His Majesty intended to fight.
The Jurchens had yet to agree to peace negotiations, much less shown any intention of withdrawing their troops. What use was this sleight of hand?
Since he could not figure it out, he stopped trying. In any case, His Majesty would certainly release those imprisoned for supporting Lu Xiangsheng. They might even be rewarded afterward.
I mustn't offend them... mustn't offend them!
Having made these arrangements, Luo Yangxing felt somewhat reassured. Even the blank sheet before him looked much more agreeable. He picked up his brush again, dipped it in ink, and slowly began to write.
Luo Yangxing did not understand, and neither did the Heavenly Hero Army.
At that moment, they were huddled in the mountains ten li outside Jinan, dusty and bedraggled, eating dry rations and drinking cold water. Even in the bitter cold, they dared not light fires for warmth, afraid the smoke would draw the Tatars.
But they had no idea why they were doing this.
Fortunately, Governor Lu had returned. The moment he came back, he had ordered the army to break camp, split into small groups, and enter these mountains, where they had remained for days.
In a clearing, Chen Guowei, Hu Dawei, and Li Zhongzhen sat crouched on the ground. Even after hearing Lu Xiangsheng explain everything, their faces remained blank with bewilderment. They exchanged several glances, saw the same expression on one another's faces, and looked back at Lu Xiangsheng.
"This... was all His Majesty's idea?" Li Zhongzhen could hardly believe it.
His Majesty had always remained in the palace. How could he understand marching and warfare?
And yet, now that the plan had reached this stage, everything still seemed to be proceeding as he had intended.
Was their emperor really this capable?
Then why, during the Jurchens' previous incursions through the passes, had he allowed them to swagger in and out so freely?
Before you continue