Chapter 263 Infiltration and Defection

Chapter 263 Infiltration and Defection

"Lord Du, take my warrant back to Suzhou to mobilize troops, and I will go to Runzhou to mobilize troops. My cousin was previously demoted to the position of Prefect of Runzhou, and I will use his connections to persuade the Governor of Runzhou to send troops." Governor Zheng, who had been hesitating about whether to take the gamble before the incense stick burned, was now eager to make his stance clear, wishing he could cut his heart out to prove his loyalty and sever all ties with the traitor Li Jingye.

Du Min looked at Meng Qing and asked, "Second sister-in-law, would it be alright if you took Lord Zheng's order back to Suzhou to gather soldiers to come and help us?"

"What do you want to do?" Meng Qing asked.

"I want to sneak into Yangzhou." Du Min wanted to make a desperate gamble and claim the credit that belonged solely to him, rather than receiving recognition in the name of assisting Governor Zheng when it came time for rewards.

Governor Zheng looked at him in astonishment, "Are you out of your mind? Which official in the court doesn't recognize your face? If you dare to show your face after sneaking into Yangzhou, you'll be captured."

“I have a student who is the headmaster of the Qingniao Paper Craft Academy in Yangzhou. I can stay at the academy temporarily if I sneak into the city. A few years ago, my second sister-in-law’s brother had acquired a considerable business in Yangzhou. After selling it, the new owners were his father-in-law and some wealthy merchants from Suzhou. They are close to me, so I have people I can use.” Du Min’s plan gradually took shape. “I will act according to the situation after I enter the city.”

"Let me sneak into Yangzhou with you. With me there, you'll have someone to talk to." Meng Qing was worried that Gu Wudong might defect, and concerned that Du Min might fall into a trap and be left isolated and helpless.

"Let my second brother come with me. If I can get a chance to make a contribution, I can let him get involved. When it comes to rewards, he might just get an official position like Meng Chun." Du Min had been eating special meals prepared by Du Li in the thatched hut for three years and was starting to plan for his second brother.

"Second sister-in-law, you are good at adapting. No one is more suitable than you to go back to Suzhou to mobilize troops. If Lord Zheng's order can't mobilize troops, you can still think of another way." Du Min expressed his other concern. Local governors only manage civil affairs and do not have military power. If the Commandant of the Vanguard and the Military Advisor are close to the Li Tang imperial family, Governor Zheng's order will not be effective.

Du Li was not blinded by official position. He looked at Meng Qing and said, "There are only two pillars of the family, you two. You can't go through fire and water together. You take Governor Zheng's order back to Suzhou, and I will accompany the third brother to sneak into Yangzhou."

With mixed feelings, Yin Caiwei looked at Du Min and said, "Can't you just not go to Yangzhou? Don't you dare ruin my second brother's life."

If Du Liwan were to die in Yangzhou, the two families would become estranged, even if they weren't enemies, which was something Yin Caiwei didn't want to see.

Du Min was in a dilemma. Du Li had a strong ability to judge people and could act as his eyes and ears. Moreover, after three years of mourning, his rustic nature had permeated his very being, making him a suitable person to disguise himself and gather information. He really needed him.

"I know what I'm doing. Nothing will happen. I'm better at escaping than him." Du Li wouldn't let himself be buried with Du Min. He had a wife and children, and he couldn't bear to die.

"Have you reached an agreement?" Governor Zheng urged.

“Let’s decide on this.” Meng Qing made the final decision. “Lord Zheng, give me your warrant, and Caiwei and I will turn back now.”

Governor Zheng handed her the warrant stamped with his seal and said, "I am handing this army over to the Lady of the Prefecture for her command."

"Thank you for your trust, sir." Meng Qing's heart, which had been dormant for three years, suddenly became active. If she could pull off this job well, she might just be able to be granted the title of Lady of the State.

The five officials split into three groups. Governor Zheng returned to his ship, and the official ship changed course to Runzhou. Du Min and Du Li changed into servants' clothes, took the helmsman's household registration, and disembarked with their attendants. Meng Qing and Yin Caiwei's official ship immediately turned back along the same route.

Du Min and Du Li walked for five days on foot along the shore before finally arriving outside Yangzhou City. Just then, Luo Binwang, an advisor to Li Jingye, published "A Proclamation Against Wu Zetian," calling on loyal officials and righteous men throughout the land to respond. Du Li seized this opportunity to infiltrate Yangzhou City as a righteous man, waiting outside the school for three days before finally revealing himself to Gu Wudong.

"Master Gu, do you still recognize me?" Du Li asked.

"Young Master Du!" Gu Wudong exclaimed in surprise, "Is it Young Master Du?"

"It's me, Du Li, Du Min's second brother." Du Li noticed he had forgotten his name. "Did you hear that Du Min contacted Gu Wuxia three years ago?"

"I know," Gu Wudong said softly. "Did you come to see me? Shall we talk in the library?"

“Okay.” Du Li nodded.

Gu Wudong had set up a study for himself in the library. He led Du Li inside, closed the door behind him, and asked, "Young Master Du, why are you dressed like this?"

Du Li didn't answer; instead, he asked directly, "Master Gu, what's your opinion on the situation in Yangzhou?"

"My opinion is not important, as I am just a lowly official."

“How could it not be important? The rebels occupied Yangzhou to attack Empress Wu, and you were sitting in the free school and academy built by Empress Wu’s order. Did you have any opinion about this?” Du Li looked around the room. “As the head of both the school and the academy, you’ve been doing well these past few years, haven’t you? You’ve been receiving a generous salary and living a life of respect.”

"Even if I have opinions, what can I do about them?" Gu Wudong saw through Du Li's intentions. "Where is Lord Du? What does he want me to do?"

“In Wumiao Village outside the city, you used the excuse of delivering paper effigies to the outside of the city to bring him in,” Du Li told us. “When we were returning to Luoyang from mourning and passed through Yangzhou, we heard about the rebel uprising. He wanted to take the opportunity to gain merit, so he thought of you. You’ve been in the charity school for ten years, haven’t you? It’s time for a promotion.”

Gu Wudong had been living a comfortable life for too long, and he was almost ready to accept his fate. Over the years, he had been thinking of spending his life in the academy until he died. Now that things had suddenly turned upside down, his first instinct was to panic, and he was so panicked that he broke out in a sweat.

"Yes, I'll go and smooth things over right away." Gu Wudong forced himself to calm down; his benefactor had approached him again.

...

The following day, Gu Wudong personally escorted three cartloads of paper effigies out of the city and met Du Min in Wumiao Village as agreed.

Du Min and his attendants exchanged household registrations with the carriage attendants, posing as servants of the free school. They entered the city with the carriage in the evening without attracting anyone's attention.

After the two brothers entered the city, Du Min chose to stay at the Gu family's residence because of his hateful face, while Du Li and Gu Wudong went out to contact the people in charge of Yangzhou, such as Wang Bushang, Li Bushang, and Lü Bushang.

*

Meanwhile, the official boat carrying Meng Qing and Yin Caiwei returned to the ferry crossing in Wu County. When the supervisor stopped the boat for inspection, Meng Qing went out to negotiate and immediately saw two boats carrying monks heading towards the fish market.

"Madam?" the official exclaimed in surprise. "Didn't you leave more than half a month ago? Why are you back?"

"Yangzhou has been occupied by rebels, the waterways are blocked, and boats can't pass," Meng Qing said. "Suzhou isn't far from Yangzhou, haven't you heard the news?"

"I only know that a man surnamed Li raised an army in Yangzhou to overthrow the Tang Dynasty. Many righteous men from Wu County went there after hearing the order, but I don't know the specifics." The supervisor signaled the servants to let them pass. As the official boat was leaving, he said, "They are not rebels, but descendants of loyal ministers and righteous men."

Having learned the political climate in Wu County, Meng Qing said to Yin Caiwei, "Our troop mobilization trip will likely be long and arduous."

Yin Caiwei had no experience with this and was completely clueless. She could only hope that Governor Zheng's order would be useful.

The official boat arrived at the ferry outside the governor's mansion. The two sisters-in-law disembarked, and Meng Qing explained her identity before being invited inside. The person who received them was an old Sima, the Prefect of Suzhou and Chief Clerk, who had gone to Yangzhou to support the Tang Dynasty ten days earlier.

Meng Qing produced Governor Zheng's order and asked to see the Military Advisor. The Military Advisor immediately accepted the order, but that night he fell off his horse after drinking and fell into a coma.

With the military advisor's blunder, the soldiers of Suzhou became like fish in a river. Meng Qing knew there were fish in the river, but he just couldn't catch them.

After being rebuffed by the military advisor, Meng Qing went to see the military commander, but since military and political affairs were separate, the governor's order could not mobilize troops. The military commander refused to send troops on the grounds that there was no imperial decree.

Meng Qing was refused entry the first time she visited, and couldn't find anyone the second time. She and Yin Caiwei had been in Wu County for five days and hadn't found anything.

“Second sister-in-law, the Empress Dowager’s path to becoming emperor was not easy. My father and Du Min still have a long way to go.” Yin Caiwei stood by the river and sighed repeatedly. “Now I understand Governor Zheng. This path is not accepted by the world. If the pioneers make a mistake, their whole family will perish.”

"Hmm." Meng Qing looked towards the mountains in the southeast, where the temples were bustling with worshippers.

"Second Sister-in-law, isn't the Empress Dowager sixty years old?" Yin Caiwei asked cautiously. "Aren't you worried about losing your master halfway through? Or perhaps losing Wu Feng and meeting Li Feng after attaining enlightenment?"

Meng Qing lowered her head. "Caiwei, haven't you always admired Empress Dowager Wu? We are fighting for our beliefs."

Yin Caiwei blushed and whispered, "Second sister-in-law, we still have children behind us."

“Children will grow old and die. If they are unfortunate, it’s just that they die a few decades earlier.” Meng Qing lifted her foot and left, saying, “If you live in a daze, death is a relief.”

Yin Caiwei remained silent, gazing at the river as she analyzed Meng Qing's words. If one were to live in a daze, would death be a release?

"Let's go." Meng Qing boarded the boat.

Yin Caiwei jogged over and said, "Second sister-in-law, I think it's fine to be in a daze, as long as the child is alive."

"You can't make decisions for them, but you can make decisions for yourself. If you could go back more than ten years, would you choose to remarry Du Min, or marry a husband of equal social standing and spend your life in the inner quarters dealing with your in-laws and concubines?" Meng Qing asked. "When we return to Luoyang, would you be willing to remarry with your child?"

Yin Caiwei had been thinking all the way, and after the boat stopped, she sighed and said, "There's no point in living a muddled life."

Meng Qing laughed, "You've already taken ninety-nine steps, don't think about going back. The things you're worried about are things you need to consider after you've taken a hundred steps."

Yin Caiwei followed her off the boat and asked, "Second Sister-in-law, where are you going?"

"Ruiguang Temple."

——

Meng Qing entered the temple, revealed her identity, and specified that she wanted to see Master Huijue. Immediately, a monk led her to a meditation room. After she sat down and had a cup of tea, footsteps were heard outside the door.

The door opened, and Huijue walked in. He smiled and bowed to Meng Qing, "Benefactor Meng, it's been a long time."

"Senior brother, you haven't aged at all!" Meng Qing stood up and greeted him warmly.

“I’m getting old. You and Master have been away from Wu County for one or two decades. It’s impossible for this humble monk not to grow old.” Huijue bowed to Yin Caiwei and continued speaking to Meng Qing: “Junior Sister, do you know where Master is?”

"Hasn't he contacted you?" Meng Qing asked in surprise. She teased, "The old monk has become successful and has forgotten all his former disciples and followers."

"Amitabha Buddha," Huijue said, lowering his eyes as he recited a sutra.

Meng Qing smiled and said, "He is currently practicing at the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, and occasionally he goes to the palace to preach to the Empress Dowager."

Huijue was speechless; this was truly remarkable.

"Am I lying?" Meng Qing asked with a smile. "Senior brother, our boat is still at the ferry crossing. Would you like to come with us to Luoyang to seek refuge with your master?"

Huijue could barely maintain his composure. He scrutinized Meng Qing and recalled, "Your mourning period ended half a year ago?"

"Senior brother has a good memory." Meng Qing nodded, and said seriously, "I've come to ask senior brother for help."

"you say."

Meng Qing took out a warrant with several creases and handed it to him. "The rebels raised an army in Yangzhou to attack Empress Wu. I was entrusted by the governor of Suzhou to come back and ask for reinforcements, but no one responded."

Huijue was completely confused. He stared at the warrant for a long time, and finally figured out that his master, Meng Qing, Du Min, the governor of Suzhou, and the Empress Dowager were on the same team.

"How could my master interfere in royal affairs?" Huijue's feelings were complicated.

Meng Qing clenched his fist. Kong Hui is over seventy years old this year. In another ten or twenty years, if he doesn't pass away, he will have lived a long life. His successor will not easily touch him.

“My uncle once told me that the Empress Dowager has the appearance of Maitreya.” Meng Qing dropped a bombshell in her soft voice. “Taoism is the state religion, but the Empress Dowager is a devout Buddhist. She has been vigorously supporting the spread of Buddhism for decades. Isn’t that strange? That’s why Master Konghui became a follower of the Empress Dowager.”

Huijue was surprised and uncertain.

Yin Caiwei clenched her fists tightly in her sleeves, forcing herself to maintain a calm expression.

"Senior brother, do you wish to glimpse the form of Maitreya?" Meng Qing tempted. "Do you wish to take your fellow disciples and fellow practitioners to the White Horse Temple in Luoyang for cultivation? Today, rebels are entrenched in Yangzhou, attacking Buddhist believers. Are you doing nothing?"

Huijue lowered his eyes, and after a long while, he spoke: "The father of the Commander of the Vanguard is a lay Buddhist of our temple. He happens to be in the temple today, so I will go and see him."

-----------------------

Author's note: See you tomorrow night.