Chapter 682: The Night Before the Storm

More than an hour later, Li Qing’an’s army finished lunch and prepared to set off. This time, Mingzhu bid farewell to the old carriage and boarded Li Qing’an’s extremely luxurious carriage, pulled by twenty-four horses and resembling two small houses.

“Please come in!” Li Qing’an smiled as he opened the carriage door.

Mingzhu’s face turned slightly red—so many bodyguards were watching her! She bit her lip gently. In the past, she would have entered carefree and without hesitation, but today her mood had changed; she felt shy, as if she were boarding a bridal sedan. A mix of shyness, anticipation, and worry intertwined in her heart. Eventually, she mustered up courage, lifted her skirt, and quickly climbed into Li Qing’an’s carriage.

The inside of the carriage was very spacious—ten feet wide and thirty feet long. The walls were made of cork, and thick carpets covered the floor. The carriage was divided into two sections: the front for Li Qing’an’s work, and the back as a sleeping area. The interior was well-lit and extremely comfortable.

“I want the inside section; you stay outside!”

As soon as she got in, Mingzhu started to draw a boundary. But Li Qing’an laughed and said, “The carriage can only travel three miles. We’ll take a boat once we leave the city, and it’s even more spacious and comfortable there.”

“Oh!”

Mingzhu felt extremely tired after the long journey. Finding Li Qing’an gave her a sense of security, and her tense nerves relaxed. She was so sleepy that her eyes could barely stay open. She wanted to take a nap, but since they were about to board the boat, she had to endure her drowsiness and sit by the window.

When she turned around, she saw Li Qing’an pouring tea for her. She quickly stood up, “Big brother, let me do it!”

Unconsciously, she had changed the way she addressed Li Qing’an, calling him “big brother” in a poetic manner. Deep down, she really disliked calling him “brother-in-law”—it meant she would always be subordinate to her sister, forever a sister’s daughter-in-law.

As she got up to pour the tea, the carriage started moving. The sudden jolt made her fall back into her seat. “Ouch!”

“Be careful!”

Li Qing’an placed a cup of cool tea in front of her and said with a smile, “Have some tea and rest. You can sleep on the boat.”

Mingzhu picked up the cup and smiled sweetly. “Big brother, from now on, I’ll do things like pouring tea. I can also help you organize documents. My handwriting isn’t any worse than my sister’s.”

“Great! I’ve been worried about having no one to serve me while we’re away.”

Li Qing’an reclined comfortably on the other side of the small table, stretched, and smiled at her sideways. “Mingzhu, massage my legs first!”

“Go away! I’m not your maid.”

Mingzhu, in a fit of pique, also lay down, but as soon as she did, she felt something was wrong. She quickly sat up again, angrily moving Li Qing’an’s leg over, “You asked me to massage it. If it hurts, don’t blame me.”
“Okay! I won’t blame you. Just be gentle—don’t think you’re beating a drum.”
Mingzhu gently began massaging his leg. At that moment, a hint of tenderness arose in her heart. She remembered when she had fallen into the water and Li Qing’an had blown air into her mouth to revive her. Her face gradually turned red as she stole a glance at Li Qing’an, only to find him staring at her intently. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt extremely shy. She quickly pushed his leg away and turned away, “I won’t massage anymore. You… you’re spying on me!”
“No! I was just thinking. Come on, massage my brother again. You did a great job.”
Hearing him refer to himself as “brother” instead of “brother-in-law,” as if speaking to someone precious, Mingzhu felt a sweetness in her heart. She stopped talking and gently, carefully massaged his leg…
The carriage swayed rhythmically. Mingzhu leaned against the wall, her movements slowing down. Her eyelids grew heavy, but Li Qing’an didn’t disturb her. His heart was filled with affection for her. She was already 21 years old yet still refused to marry. How could he not understand her devotion? Now, she had even come all this way to find him… Sigh! Once he calmed down, he should have a proper talk with Mingzhu.
Mingzhu had fallen asleep against the wall of the carriage. Li Qing’an didn’t disturb her. He quietly pulled back his leg and got up to help her lie down. Suddenly, the carriage jolted, and Mingzhu woke up abruptly. Realizing she had fallen asleep, she smiled shyly and sat up, asking, “Brother, where are we?”
Li Qing’an looked outside through the window. “We’ve arrived at the dock. It’s time to get off.”
The carriage stopped. A bodyguard outside said, “General, we’ve reached the dock.”
Li Qing’an got out of the carriage and extended his hand to Mingzhu. “Come on! Rest on the ship.”
Holding her skirt with one hand and gripping Li Qing’an’s arm with the other, Mingzhu stepped out of the carriage. The river breeze blew across her face, and the vast Huai River appeared before her, filling her with joy. In the distance, a long fleet was already anchored on the shore. On the other side of the dock, dozens of large ferries were transporting Li Qing’an’s cavalry across the river.
Li Qing’an pointed to the frontmost three-story boat and said with a smile, “That’s our ship. Go on board first. I’ll arrange the troops and join you soon.”

Mingzhu nodded and followed the two bodyguards toward the large ship, watching until she boarded it. Only then did Li Qing’an turn to Han Jin, who had just arrived, and ask, “How’s the investigation going?”
“General, it can be described as appalling!”
Han Jin said angrily, “The imperial court sets the tax rate at two sheng and two he per mu for farmland, but here it’s four sheng and four he per mu—double the amount. The household tax has also increased from one guan per year to two guan and three hundred wen per year. The extra tax is called the ‘rebellion suppression fund,’ claimed to be sent to the court for suppressing An Lushan and the Southern Tang. There are also fish taxes, road and bridge fees, river transport management fees, salt taxes, and tea taxes—these have existed for a long time. From the prefecture to the counties, even every official is corrupt. That’s why the people were so overjoyed when they heard the Southern Tang fell, thinking they wouldn’t have to pay these taxes during war.”
Li Qing’an nodded. Cui Ning had told him roughly the same thing, but not as in detail as Han Jin’s investigation.
Li Qing’an glanced at the dock. Not a single official from Sizhou had come to see him off, which showed just how guilty they were. He sneered, “I’m aware of this. Let’s head to Yangzhou first, then check out other counties, and finally settle the accounts!”
Half an hour later, Li Qing’an’s fleet left the Huai River dock and continued downstream toward Yangzhou.
The officials of Sizhou weren’t indifferent to Li Qing’an’s departure. On the contrary, they were terrified. They sent people disguised as fishermen to the dock to monitor the situation. When news reached them that Li Qing’an’s fleet had left Linhuai County, the officials of Sizhou rejoiced. They were lucky—Li Qing’an’s low profile meant the people of Sizhou hardly knew he had arrived, so there were no mass protests or pleas for justice, allowing them to escape unscathed.
As soon as Li Qing’an’s fleet left, the county magistrate, Wang Jiaju, rushed to the prefectural office, also looking excited.
“Sir!” He stumbled as he ran into the governor’s room, almost falling.
“County Magistrate Wang!”
Governor Zhou Bingyi was displeased with Wang Jiaju’s lack of composure. “Why such haste?”
“Sir, Li Qing’an has left!” Wang Jiaju couldn’t contain his excitement.
“I know. But do you have to be so overjoyed?”
Seeing the governor’s serious expression, Wang Jiaju was shocked. “Sir, what happened?”
Zhou Bingyi patted his round belly and sighed. “Although he didn’t discover anything, our good days are likely over.”
“Are you saying we should stop collecting taxes?”

Zhou Bingyi nodded. “Li Qingan has gone to Jiangnan twice in half a year, which shows his emphasis on it. The first time was because the separatist rule of the King of Wu ended, and he needed to pacify Jiangnan, so he took no action. Now that he has control over Jiangnan and the Southern Tang Dynasty has fallen, he has no more concerns. His visit to Jiangnan now, even if just for inspection, shows his continued focus on it. County Magistrate Wang, since the Southern Tang Dynasty is gone, we can take this opportunity to step back. We’ve made enough money over the years—don’t risk losing it all here. Do you understand?”
“But…”
Wang Jiaju wanted to say more, but Zhou Bingyi interrupted him. He gave Wang Jiaju a cold look. “There is no ‘but’. I’ve made my decision clearly. If you refuse to let go, you’ll be the one to suffer in the end. County Magistrate Wang, actually, many of these things were your doing. I was merely negligent. Don’t be ungrateful!”
Zhou Bingyi’s tone was extremely icy, as if he had pushed Wang Jiaju into an bottomless ice cave. Wang Jiaju himself didn’t know how he got home. Zhou Bingyi’s words echoed in his mind over and over: “County Magistrate Wang, actually, many of these things were your doing. I was merely negligent!”
It had originally been Zhou Bingyi’s decision, but now he was trying to shift all the blame onto him. Wang Jiaju felt as if the sky was falling.
Living in the back residence of the county yamen, he returned from the prefectural yamen without going to the county yamen himself, instead heading straight home in a daze.
Wang Jiaju was in his forties. He wasn’t a product of the imperial examination system but was promoted from a clerk in the county yamen to become the county magistrate of Linhuai. In the Tang Dynasty, officials generally came from three backgrounds: those who entered government service through the imperial examinations, who usually had noble origins and could reach high positions; those who benefited from family connections, a system designed to produce offspring of officials, though strictly regulated with fixed positions and quotas under close surveillance; and those who started as lower-ranking officials and worked their way up, a path most common in county yamen positions and the hardest of the three, requiring both connections and capital. Wang Jiaju was originally from a wealthy family, with a relative working in Yang Guozhong’s household in the capital. To make a name for himself in government, he used this relative’s connections to obtain the title of chief clerk and then worked his way up through the ranks. His family nearly depleted its wealth in the process before he finally became county magistrate. Now that he held power, he was determined to recover all the wealth he had lost.

In just a few years, Wang Jiaju had amassed tens of thousands of taels by inventing various tax and fee excuses, but it was merely enough to cover his costs—far from making a profit. Now, Zhou Bingyi wanted him to stop, not only that but also seemed to expect him to take full responsibility. Wang Jiaju felt utterly exhausted and locked himself in his study as soon as he got home.
“Sir, what’s wrong?”
Wang Jiaju’s wife noticed his pale face and thought he was tired from work. She quickly poured him a cup of ginseng tea and placed it on the table.
“Sir, why don’t you go to bed?”
“Madam, I’m afraid I won’t be able to save my life,” Wang Jiaju said slowly, closing his eyes as if he could see himself being led to the execution ground.
“Sir, what are you talking about?”
The county magistrate’s wife panicked, thinking he was delirious. “I’ll go call a doctor!”
“Madam!”
Wang Jiaju stopped her. “Don’t call a doctor. I’m fine.”
The county magistrate’s wife was surnamed Zhang; she was Wang Jiaju’s cousin and came from a prominent family, so she could stay calm in emergencies.
“Sir, tell me what happened. What’s making you so distraught?”
“It’s all because of those taxes over the past few years. Li Qingan came today. Though he’s left now, it’s likely an imperial censor will investigate.” At the mention of an imperial censor, Wang Jiaju trembled violently.
“But… this isn’t just your problem. Everyone in Sizhou is involved. Didn’t you say Zhou Bingyi is even more greedy than you?”
“The problem now is that Zhou Bingyi claims I’m the mastermind and that he was merely negligent. All the blame falls on me, not him.”
At this point, Wang Jiaju grew angry. He remembered clearly that on the third day of the first lunar month three years ago, it was Zhou Bingyi who summoned him to his house, using threats and inducements to force him to comply with his plans. Now, Zhou denied it all.
“Sir, you must find a solution! Maybe seek help from your backers.”
“Backers!” Wang Jiaju sneered. “My backer was Yang Guozhong. Where can I find him now?”
After a pause, he added, “Besides, this time it’s Li Qingan himself who came to the south. Even if I had backers, who would dare help me now? It would be suicide.”
Women often prove more ruthless than men in critical moments. Lady Zhang suddenly stood up and said firmly, “Sir, then take action first! Accuse Zhou Bingyi first!”
“But I have no evidence.”

“Lord, I remember you have a decree issued in person by Zhou Bingyi ordering increased taxes, right? This is the best evidence.”
Wang Jiaju’s eyes lit up suddenly; he also remembered and hurriedly stood up. “Let me search first—where did I put it?”
Wang Jiaju rummaged through boxes and cabinets until he finally found the slightly yellowed decree in a corner of a box. He carefully laid it on the table—it was the original, with Zhou Bingyi’s signature still very clear, along with his seal.
“Now, I wonder how he can shirk responsibility!” Wang Jiaju growled through gritted teeth.
……
The water route from Linhuai County to Yangzhou wasn’t straight. One had to first sail east along the Huai River for over 300 miles to reach Shanyang County in Chuzhou, which is in today’s Huai’an area, and then turn onto the Cao River to head south.
Along the way, Mingzhu was in high spirits, like a swallow released from its cage. Her laughter echoed throughout the ship, and even Li Qingan’s personal guards were infected by her cheerfulness, making everyone’s mood lighter. At dusk, some soldiers would jump into the river to swim and fish, and Li Qingan didn’t stop them, allowing the soldiers to enjoy a leisurely journey.
That afternoon, Li Qingan’s fleet arrived at Gaoyou County. Li Qingan sat in the cabin studying maps. He spent less and less time on the deck these days, while more and more intelligence reports arrived from various places, making the atmosphere seem somewhat tense.
Even Mingzhu noticed this tension. She stopped laughing loudly and walked more quietly, spending most of her time reading in her own cabin.
Mingzhu’s cabin was on the third floor of the ship, spacious and bright. She kept it spotless, and her love for beauty made her hang several paintings on the cabin walls.
The ship had passed Gaoyou County but continued moving forward without stopping, though at a slower pace. Mingzhu was comfortably lying half-reclined in her cabin reading, but she seemed distracted. Her ears were pricked as she could clearly hear Li Qingan pacing back and forth in the adjacent cabin. He seemed to be deep in thought.
Several times, Mingzhu wanted to go over and help Li Qingan organize his documents, but he declined, saying he wanted some quiet time to think. This disappointed Mingzhu slightly, but beneath the disappointment, she felt a hint of pride—it meant Li Qingan cared about her, so he couldn’t calm down in his cabin. That’s how she comforted herself; things always tended to look on the bright side.

The sound of rapid horse hooves woke her from her daydream. She had lived in Anxi for some time and had a basic understanding of horses; she could tell this was not the sound of dozens of horses but rather a herd of thousands. Such a large group of horses was extremely rare in the Jiangnan region. Mingzhu immediately stood up and looked toward the shore through the cabin window. There, she saw over a thousand cavalry riders speeding from the southeast, while their ship was slowly approaching the shore. Mingzhu was stunned for a moment, then turned and ran to the next room. Li Qing’an was also standing by the window, watching the approaching cavalry. Their arrival was part of his plan. Li Qing’an quickly gathered a few documents. Just then, the door opened and Mingzhu came in. “Elder brother, why is the ship stopping at the shore?” Seeing him packing documents, she was surprised and asked after a pause, “Elder brother, where are you going?” “Mingzhu, I forgot to tell you. I need to be away for a while before heading to Yangzhou.” “If you leave, what about me?” Li Qing’an stepped forward, smiled, and gently patted her pretty face. “Continue your journey to Yangzhou by ship. Some of my personal guards will go with you. The local officials will treat you like a princess. Wait for me in Yangzhou.” “I won’t. I want to go with you too. I can ride a horse!” “You can’t go. No one outside the military is allowed in the place I’m going to. It’s strict military discipline—even I can’t break it. Besides, aren’t you going to the Dayun Temple to fulfill a vow? You can also ask for a fortune for me there.” Mingzhu was no longer a spoiled girl. Though reluctant, she knew she definitely couldn’t go with him. Li Qing’an was inflexible. She still felt unwilling, wanting to secure something for herself and not let him go easily. After thinking for a while, she suddenly smiled and said, “Then promise me one condition, and I won’t go with you.” Li Qing’an liked her stubbornness and cuteness, so he laughed and said, “Go ahead! Should I climb to the sky to pick stars or dive into the sea to fetch the moon?” “Neither! I just want to wait for you to come back and go to the Dayun Temple together to fulfill our vows.” Initially, going to the Dayun Temple was just an excuse she made up, but now she really wanted to go. She looked at Li Qing’an with hope, hoping he would readily agree to her request. Li Qing’an happily agreed, “Okay! I’ll definitely go with you when I return.”