The Assassins
Before early evening had even fallen, Steward Yu returned with Wang Qiuzhou, a subordinate of Xiao Rongyan's, and announced that he wished to see the Zhenguo Commandery Princess.
Bai Jingyan set down her bamboo slips, changed her clothes, and went to the main hall.
The moment Wang Qiuzhou saw Bai Jingyan being helped into the hall by Chun Tao, he set down his teacup and rose to bow before her.
"This humble servant greets the Commandery Princess."
Because Wang Qiuzhou knew that Xiao Rongyan held Bai Jingyan in his heart, he treated her with particular deference.
"Steward Wang, you've done enough courtesies. Yu Shu tells me you have something urgent to convey to me?"
Bai Jingyan took her seat at the center and looked at Wang Qiuzhou.
"Yes, it is an urgent matter."
Wang Qiuzhou glanced at Chun Tao, who stood at Bai Jingyan's side.
Reading his meaning, Bai Jingyan turned her head and told Chun Tao to step out first.
Only after the servants had all withdrawn did Wang Qiuzhou speak.
"Your Highness, Xiliang sent gifts to His Highness the Crown Prince and to you as a gesture of apology, did they not? Among the procession that entered Jin, more than ten assassins are hiding. The intelligence is certain. I cannot say why Xiliang concealed assassins, but the disguised killers entered Shanyang City yesterday, and I'm told they've been going around asking questions about the training of militia to suppress the bandits. It appears they are after you, Your Highness — that is why I bring this to you."
Bai Jingyan's expression did not change in the slightest. This was surely Li Tianfu's doing.
"Master Xiao truly is a wellspring of intelligence."
Bai Jingyan smiled faintly and asked, "Just how many years did Master Xiao prepare for this? How long must one labor to build so exceptional an intelligence network — and to plant it here in Jin, of all places?"
Wang Qiuzhou laughed awkwardly. When it came to matters involving the State of Yan, he could never speak the whole truth — but this woman was the one his master held dear. The network had been laid in secret ever since the Empress Dowager was still alive; if he were to reveal that fact and, by some mischance, drive a wedge between his master and the Zhenguo Commandery Princess…
While Wang Qiuzhou hesitated, weighing how he might answer, Bai Jingyan spoke first.
"The mere fact that Master Xiao and you, Steward Wang, brought this matter to my attention is cause enough for gratitude. I will not forget it."
"You honor me, Your Highness."
Wang Qiuzhou bowed deeply.
"If you have nothing further to tell me, I will take my leave first."
"Might you be able to tell me whether there has been any strange movement within the Liang court?"
Bai Jingyan fixed her gaze on Wang Qiuzhou as she asked.
"Your Highness, I have received no fresh word from the Liang court as yet. But according to the last report, after the Fourth Prince of Liang returned home, he urged the Emperor to cease the war. The Emperor dotes greatly on his fourth son, so it is possible the Liang Emperor may have heeded his words."
Bai Jingyan gave a small nod.
"If you obtain certain news, could you inform Steward Yu at once? My fourth younger sister is at Mount Chunmu, and my heart has been uneasy ever since."
"Rest easy, Your Highness. The moment word reaches us, I will inform Steward Yu immediately."
"You've been a great help."
Bai Jingyan looked toward Steward Yu.
"Yu Shu, see Steward Wang out on my behalf."
Once Steward Yu had escorted Wang Qiuzhou out the gate, Bai Jingyan traced the edge of the table with her fingertip, lost in thought. She had not appeared at the training grounds for several days now. If those assassins meant to contrive some scheme to slip inside, then she would need to show herself there often. She had to plant in their minds the illusion that once they entered the training grounds, they could achieve their goal with ease.
Assassins sent by Li Tianfu, no doubt.
If they were Li Tianfu's assassins, they would be skilled even among killers. If she set them to training the militia — folk whose skills were still far from adequate — it would be no slight against the sincerity of a woman who had sent her people all this way.
On the twenty-third day of the fifth month, the gifts of apology sent by Xiliang to Shanyang on the Crown Prince's behalf were plundered on the road. The incident sent shockwaves through both the court and the common people.
Upon hearing the news, the Zhenguo Commandery Princess immediately led the Bai family guard toward Gongdong Mountain, yet the only escort recovered was the Crown Prince's guard corps. Every last gift sent from Xiliang had been stolen away.
At word that the rare treasures Xiliang had sent had vanished, the Crown Prince was bitterly disappointed. Whether it was anger over the affair that moved him or not, he issued yet another edict commanding the local officials of Shanyang to surely aid Bai Jingyan in crushing the bandits.
Raising common folk into soldiers demanded a great span of time. They remained woefully unprepared to contend with the fierce brigands.
As the situation at Mount Chunmu grew desperate, the Jin court found itself unable to spare soldiers for the suppression of the bandits. The Zhenguo Commandery Princess conducted a second militia recruitment, and Shanyang City grew so bustling that even the magistrate of a neighboring village came running from afar to enroll.
Shen Anzhong and Bai Jingping received Bai Jingyan's orders. She instructed them to register separately anyone with martial skill. Any who could best one of the Bai family guards through more than ten exchanges would be appointed a Squad Leader of Ten; any who could defeat the Bai guard corps outright would be named an instructor, empowered to teach the people alongside the Bai family guards.
Before long, Shen Anzhong and Bai Jingping handed Bai Jingyan the roster of outsiders skilled in the martial arts.
"Did anyone conceal their true abilities?"
Bai Jingyan asked.
Just as Bai Jingping was about to answer, Shen Anzhong spoke first.
"Your Highness, anyone with genuine martial skill could never deceive my eyes."
Bai Jingyan did not lift her head, but studied the roster intently. Seeing marks beside certain names, she asked again.
"What are the marked names?"
"Suspects."
Shen Anzhong answered.
"Men of extraordinary martial ability, whose accents were a touch strange. They all claimed to come from the Southern Border, saying they had come especially after hearing the rumor that Your Highness was training soldiers."
Seeing that Bai Jingyan was listening closely, Shen Anzhong raised his head and went on.
"If refugees from the Southern Border kept trickling into Shanyang, I could believe it — but since they aren't, I am certain there is something wrong with this lot. When the time comes, they must be interrogated properly!"
Bai Jingyan nodded. Shen Anzhong was a rather clever man.
"Attach someone to watch them closely. There is no need to make a loud show of it — and don't let it trouble you overmuch."
Bai Jingyan set the roster aside and looked at Bai Jingping and Shen Anzhong, both of them darkened by the sun and worn thin.
"You've all worked hard."
Having no intention of stealing credit, Bai Jingping opened his mouth with some embarrassment.
"I hardly did anything at all. Anzhong bore the burden."
Shen Anzhong hastily insisted it was not so. He found himself feeling ever closer to Bai Jingping, who neither snatched at credit nor spoke recklessly.
The moment they stepped out of the Commandery Princess's estate, Shen Anzhong broached to Bai Jingping the idea of going to the tavern for a drink.
Bai Jingping gently declined.
"The newly recruited militia still leave my heart uneasy. Go and enjoy yourself. You've earned a rest after all this toil — have a cup or two, and return to camp before it grows too late. If anything should go wrong, it would put us all in a difficult position."
Watching the sincerity of Bai Jingping's manner, Shen Anzhong felt all the more strongly that he wanted to be close to this man. He bowed in a gesture of respect.
"Before Her Highness, I was eager to press my own merits forward, yet you, elder brother Ping, did not blame this dull-witted younger brother in the slightest, and I am grateful for it. But I truly did not do it on purpose. You are Her Highness's cousin, while I am nothing more than an outsider! That is why I was so anxious to prove myself to Her Highness! If I gave offense, I beg your generous understanding!"
"I have no interest in who claims the credit. Besides, you did contribute more than I did — that is simple fact. All we need do is carry out Her Highness's orders well. Whoever holds the credit matters nothing. Let us work in good accord from here on, and pour our strength into training these soldiers!"
Bai Jingping said with a smile toward Shen Anzhong.
Hearing this, Shen Anzhong gave up on the drink and said he would return to camp with Bai Jingping instead. He intended to begin assigning the newly recruited men.
Just as the two were about to mount their horses, they caught sight of Steward Wu, one of Bai Qingyun's attendants, hiding behind a tree and peering furtively toward the Bai estate.
Bai Jingping seized his reins and called out in a great voice.
"Steward Wu!"
The steward startled violently, and upon seeing Bai Jingping, fled in haste.
Already mounted, Shen Anzhong glanced once at the now-empty tree and asked, "Who was that?"
"A steward in the service of my great-uncle."
Bai Jingping, too, mounted his horse, and the two rode back to camp together.
After Bai Jingping and Shen Anzhong had departed, Bai Jingyan made her way toward Bayun Courtyard. Chun Tao, walking at her side, wore the expression of one buried deep in thought, her brow furrowed.
"What has you brooding so?"
Bai Jingyan asked, tapping her lightly on the head.
"Oh, my lady!"
Chun Tao clicked her tongue as she addressed Bai Jingyan, then raised a hand to smooth her bangs. Fixing her mistress with a grave look, she said, "This humble servant keeps thinking of Chunyan. Shen Anzhong's nature seems so very like hers that I find myself worried…."
She feared the man might betray her lady.
"So now even our Chun Tao has taken to worrying over such things."
Bai Jingyan smiled broadly and walked slowly in the direction of Bayun Courtyard.
"Because you think Shen Anzhong covets the credit?"
Walking beside Bai Jingyan, Chun Tao nodded.
"And that young master Bai Jingping seems almost too modest, if you ask me."
Chun Tao had seen it clearly herself — Bai Jingping had tried to speak several times, and each time Shen Anzhong had cut him off.
"Too modest?"
The smile at the corners of Bai Jingyan's eyes deepened.
"Then you have misread Bai Jingping."
Chun Tao could not quite follow her meaning.
"Bai Jingping has already taken the measure of Shen Anzhong's character. He likes to put himself forward and press his own merits, but he is also a man who keeps faith with his word. He has learned precisely how to get along with Shen Anzhong."
Bai Jingyan told Chun Tao in a gentle voice.
"To Shen Anzhong, Bai Jingping has abilities worth using. Only by leaning on Shen Anzhong can the work of raising the militia be done well. So he acknowledges the man's talent and yields the credit to him. All Bai Jingping wants is for Shen Anzhong to do this work well."
Conversely, if Bai Jingping showed himself a schemer given to petty calculation, Shen Anzhong would not merely refuse to follow him — he would pick needless quarrels and obstruct the work besides. And then things could never move in the direction they wished.
Bai Jingping was a man who knew when to bend in order to accomplish great things. He was still young, but with time he would surely become a figure of real consequence.
Chun Tao still did not quite understand. But if her lady judged Bai Jingping's reasoning correct, then Bai Jingping was correct.
On the twenty-ninth day of the fifth month, word of the situation at Mount Chunmu reached the capital of Dadu. General Zhang Danyue had fallen in battle.
The Emperor, receiving the news in the dead of night, went white-faced and remained dazed for a long while.
"What did you say?"
The Emperor came down from the dragon bed, his robes in disarray, and pointed at the blood-soaked courier.
"Liang has attacked the fortress and General Zhang Danyue has fallen. Chunmu Fortress has collapsed, and the great army of Liang, having breached the walls, has begun to burn and pillage! Your Majesty, I beg you — send reinforcements at once!"
The courier was on the verge of weeping.
The Emperor could barely draw breath, and Gao Demu hurried to support him.
"Your Majesty, compose yourself. This humble servant will summon His Highness the Crown Prince, Chancellor Yu, Chancellor Li, and the Minister of War to the palace at once."
The Emperor gave a nod.
"Make haste!"
As Gao Demu went out of the great hall to meet the Crown Prince, he found himself thinking that if Duke of Zhenguo Bai Weiting were still alive, the Emperor would never be this anxious and unstrung.
Chunmu Fortress had been breached. If no one could hold back the great army of Liang, the capital of Dadu itself would soon be in peril.