Chapter 153

Chapter 153

Once they came ashore, mindful of Shen Qinglan's condition, Han Zhang didn't rush to press on.

Instead, they stayed for a few days in a county town on the border of Yanzhou to rest up and get their bearings. He sent word to the capital through the relay station about Shen Qinglan's pregnancy, and hired a local escort team from the security firm before getting ready to switch to carriages and continue on their way.

In truth, they'd brought close to a hundred guards with them on this trip, more than enough to keep them safe.

But upon arriving at the county town on the Yanzhou border, Han Zhang asked around about the situation in Yunyang Prefecture and found out the mountain bandits there were way more brazen than what he'd heard back in the capital. So he had to beef up their protection.

After all, you can never be too careful.

When it came to safety, better to waste money than risk even the smallest slip-up.

What Han Zhang hadn't expected was that they'd barely cleared the city gates when they ran smack into a troop of soldiers radiating the fierce vibe of battle-hardened veterans. Leading them was none other than an old general with a white beard and hair.

Riding beside him was a handsome, tall young lad in military gear, about fifteen or sixteen.

The lad spotted them, said something to the old general, then dismounted and walked forward. Giving a fist-and-palm salute, he asked in a clear voice:

"Are you Lord Han, just in from the capital?"

"That's me. And you folks are...?"

Han Zhang raised a hand to signal the caravan to halt, dismounted, and stepped forward to return the salute, his tone wary.

Hearing his confirmation, the lad's face lit up, and he quickly explained:

"Lord Han, don't be alarmed. I'm Shao Langzhou of the Shao family. This is my grandfather, Marquis Weiyuan. You've probably heard of our family from our cousin Kang Zhanxun."

"Recently, the mountain bandits around Yunyang Prefecture have been causing serious trouble. Grandfather got a letter from our cousin, worried you might run into trouble on the road, so he brought troops to meet you."

By then, Old General Shao had ridden up too.

He pulled out a jade pendant as proof of identity, along with an official medallion, and handed them over in a booming voice: "These are our credentials. Check them if you like."

Han Zhang took the jade pendant and medallion, examining them carefully.

The hidden marks on both items did match the tokens Kang Zhanxun had given him earlier, as well as the specially made identity medallions issued by the imperial court.

He also quietly used his Power to sense their intentions and picked up no ill intent from either of them. He relaxed a little, but he still wasn't fully at ease.

After all, if they were good enough at deception to fool even his Power, it wasn't entirely impossible. The mountain bandit situation in Yunyang Prefecture he'd heard about was bad enough that he had to stay on guard.

"So it's Marquis Weiyuan and Young Master Shao. My apologies for the rudeness."

Han Zhang gave another respectful fist-and-palm salute and also handed over the jade pendant Kang Zhanxun had given him for their inspection.

But he didn't immediately invite them into the middle of the caravan. Instead, he probed:

"To be honest with you, Old General, my husband is pregnant and can't be disturbed. Uncle Kang did tell me that if I ran into trouble in the Yunyang area, I could ask you for help, Old General."

"But I left the capital just half a month ago, and the second letter from the capital shouldn't have arrived yet. So how did you know we'd be passing through here today, Old General?"

It was a perfectly reasonable question.

Their trip wasn't top secret, but their route had inevitably changed along the way. For Marquis Weiyuan, way off in Yunyang, to just "happen" to run into them outside that county town on the Yanzhou border was too much of a coincidence.

The old general didn't get angry at the questioning. Instead, he stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his voice booming:

"Hahaha, Little Han, sharp instincts—you're good material! You think this old man's some kind of god who can predict the future?"

He pointed at Shao Langzhou beside him, speaking with pride: "It was my boy Zhou here. He led troops out a few days ago to deal with bandits for me and happened to spot your servants out buying supplies."

"That servant had proper manners, clearly from a high-class household, and his accent marked him as an outsider. So my grandson kept his eyes open. When he overheard the station attendants chatting about 'Lord Han from the capital,' he guessed it might be you and told me when he got home."

"The road to Yunyang Prefecture city takes another half month. The bandits along the way are rampant, and I heard Lord Han's husband is with child... The Weiyuan Marquis household and the Kang family have been close for generations. Since our Kang family nephew asked me to look out for you, it was only natural for this old man to come and see you through."

Hearing that, Han Zhang finally let his guard down.

His face lit up as he gave another fist-and-palm salute: "So that's how it is. Young Master Shao is truly sharp and remarkable—brave beyond compare. I'm much obliged to you, Old General, and Young Master."

As everyone knew, when Han Zhang complimented someone, it always sounded utterly sincere.

Old General Shao could tell the praise for his grandson came from the heart, and his wrinkles deepened with his smile as he waved his hand generously:

"No trouble at all! When traveling abroad, it's only right to be careful."

"Grandfather always says that families bound by generations of friendship should look out for one another—it's only proper. Lord Han need not stand on ceremony..."

Shao Langzhou was also stirred by the sincere compliment, his face flushing as he couldn't help but chime in.

He thought to himself: This Lord Han truly is as the rumors say—a man of gentle temperament and broad heart, one who dared to refuse a marriage with Chang Gongjun and stood firm against the powerful.

Not like some people who, upon hearing he was a male consort and seeing him in military dress among a camp full of men, would look at him with strange eyes!

Because of that one sincere compliment, both grandfather and grandson formed an excellent first impression of Han Zhang.

And was Han Zhang truly complimenting them offhandedly?

Of course not.

He had deliberately tailored his words to win the favor of the Shao grandfather and grandson!

Because when Kang Zhanxun had told him that the Weiyuan Marquis grandfather and grandson were also stationed in Yunyang Prefecture, he had already planned to find an opportunity to "lure" the old general's grandson back into the Han family.

Though the Weiyuan Marquis household had dwindled to just the two of them, and Old General Shao had already surrendered his military seal and entered retirement,

loyalty within the army was not something that disappeared with the surrender of a seal.

Old General Shao had spent decades in the military, and his sons and grandsons had all died on the front lines. The Shao family's prestige in the army far exceeded that of the Kang family, which had long since declined.

If the Han family could marry the old general's only grandson, gaining access to the military connections and resources of both the Shao and Kang households, one could imagine how much effort Han Zhang would save in his future rise!

The Shao lad was sixteen this year, and his second brother was also sixteen;

The Shao lad loved military attire, and his second brother was also a fine prospect for a military career.

What did that make the two of them?

That was a match made in heaven—absolutely perfect.

Such an excellent candidate for a sister-in-law had caught Han Zhang's attention.

But as the saying goes, haste makes waste. Old General Shao appeared open and guileless, but a general who had led troops for years could hardly be truly simple-minded.

Though he was eager to win over the old man's grandson, Han Zhang did not rush.

Besides, marriage required the two parties involved to take a liking to each other. Otherwise, it would create an unhappy union, and instead of winning an ally, he might end up making an enemy—that would never do.

So there was no rush on that matter for now.

As they continued on the road, Han Zhang, under the pretext of seeking advice on the situation in Yunyang Prefecture, rode alongside Old General Shao, making small talk.

Then, using the excuse that his husband was bored and lonely in the carriage, he asked the Shao family's young master to join him inside, so Shen Qinglan could get to know him first.

His husband had a lively disposition and loved martial arts and swordplay, so he figured he and Shao Langzhou should have plenty in common.

Once people grew familiar, playing matchmaker later would be much easier.

Han Zhang was also a sharp judge of character. Shao Langzhou, hailing from a military family, was just like his husband—preferring martial arts to poetry and books. The two indeed had much to talk about, and they'd become quite close in just a few days.

During the journey to Yunyang Prefecture, Han Zhang also saw firsthand just how brazen the bandits were in this region.

These bandits would risk their lives for money!

Even though their convoy was guarded by soldiers, these outlaws still dared to show their faces.

If Old General Shao hadn't come with troops to meet them, the men he'd prepared beforehand alone would likely have taken a serious beating.

Even Han Zhang, who had mentally prepared himself, couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath after witnessing the dire conditions in Yunyang Prefecture firsthand.

No wonder the Crown Prince had sent him here. Besides the feuds among noble families, Yunyang Prefecture was a real disaster zone.

Seeing his worried expression, Old General Shao sighed and said:

"Yunyang Prefecture has always been barren—dense mountains, thick forests, rampant miasma, and meager harvests. On top of that, powerful bullies squeeze the people at every level, making life a struggle for the common folk..."

"In earlier years, folks could scrape by running boats on the river, but over the past decade or so, the Wokou pirates from the east have gotten bolder and bolder. Merchant ships are frequently plundered, and the court's troops are mostly busy with the grassland tribes and other external threats, leaving no strength to manage this place."

"With no way to make a living, folks farmed by day and turned to banditry by night. Over time, bandits and civilians became one and the same, covering for each other, impossible to wipe out..."

Bandits running rampant, miasma pervading, barren soil, oppressive local gentry, and pirate persecution.

With so many adverse factors piling up, if Yunyang Prefecture isn't poor, then who is?

"When I took office here half a year ago, I submitted several memorials detailing these difficulties, asking the court for disaster relief, troops, or permission to recruit and train soldiers to wipe out the bandits and drive off the pirates!"

"But alas... the political situation at court is complicated, the frontier can't spare additional troops, and the Ministry of Revenue is always crying poor. In the end, all my memorials came to nothing."

"Helpless, I could only lead troops on regular patrols to deter them, but as you can see, Lord Han, it's ultimately a drop in the bucket. Sigh..."

Old General Shao let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

In truth, given the court's current strength, if they truly wanted to rectify Yunyang Prefecture, how could there be no way at all?

It was just that the struggle for the Crown Prince's succession was already beginning to show signs of conflict, and most officials were busy picking sides or avoiding trouble. Who had the inclination to thanklessly manage this chicken-rib of a place like Yunyang Prefecture?

Han Zhang frowned slightly at his words, but then his face lit up with the spirited vigor of youth:

"As the saying goes, where there's a will, there's a way. Though the situation in Yunyang Prefecture is dire, I believe that with effort, there will surely be gains. This prefecture will eventually see the restoration of clean governance."

"Well said, Lord Han! I'm but a simple soldier, utterly ignorant of governance matters, but if you ever need assistance in suppressing bandits or deploying troops, I will certainly give my all."

Old General Shao had seen many spirited young men like Han Zhang and didn't take his bold words too seriously, but he still expressed his support with hearty cheer.

Han Zhang didn't mind this in the slightest, merely nodding with a smile: "Then I'll be counting on your help, Old General, in the days ahead."