Chapter Sixteen: Jinling

Jinling, situated on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, is renowned as the ancient capital of six dynasties. During the Southern Tang period, the city flourished in wealth and splendor. After several generations of rule by the monarchs of Southern Wu and Southern Tang, Jinling had shed the desolation of the late Tang era, rising as the economic and cultural heart of the South. Shops lined both banks of the Qinhuai River, and the city's economy stood unrivaled among the southern kingdoms.

The Southern Wu and its successor, Southern Tang, generally pursued policies of rest and recuperation, especially after Li Bian accepted the abdication of Emperor Yang Pu of Southern Tang. With little warfare, the economy recovered, and regions like Jiangdu and Jinling, blessed with abundant fish and rice, saw their people living in prosperity.

Yang Lian and the veiled woman traveled north for two days before reaching Jinling. From afar, the city walls rose tall and wide, sprawling across a vast landscape, nestled against mountains and rivers—a seat truly fit for an emperor. The Qinhuai River, like a jade belt, wound through the city, its waters bustling with countless boats.

The pair rode a yellow dun horse slowly along the official road. Though it had only been two short days, Yang Lian had already become adept at riding. He had progressed from being mocked by the veiled woman to earning her reluctant admiration. His ability to learn had never been lacking; it was only that he had never ridden a horse in his previous life. With the woman’s brief instructions, he quickly grasped the essentials.

This piqued the veiled woman's curiosity about Yang Lian even more. The man before her was quite different from the Yang Lian she had known, especially after she learned how he had killed an assassin from Wuyue. She saw him anew—a courageous and shrewd man, not the frivolous figure he occasionally played before her. Unconsciously, her attitude toward him softened slightly, though not enough to inspire any real fondness.

Still, when they rested at inns or in the countryside, the veiled woman, seeing Yang Lian practicing martial arts, offered him a few pointers. Discovering his firm resolve to go to Jinling, she began to anticipate what would unfold. Here was a former crown prince, bereft of any real power, venturing alone into Jinling—what could his purpose be? Was he intending to overthrow Southern Tang? The odds seemed overwhelmingly against such an endeavor.

The Southern Tang emperor excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—a talented and cultured ruler. Yet the veiled woman knew that, in these turbulent times, the state needed a strong and adaptable sovereign, something the emperor clearly was not. Since the previous year, Southern Tang had taken advantage of chaos in Min to launch a campaign there, winning early victories. But with Wuyue's intervention, the war had become a mire, and unless Southern Tang could conquer Min or extract concessions from Wuyue, it would only drain the realm’s strength to no avail.

Yang Lian was highly perceptive; in his previous life, he’d been known in his neighborhood for his fighting skills. The veiled woman’s brief guidance sufficed for him to remember and imitate the martial forms, much to her surprise.

Two days was not enough for true mastery, of course, but Yang Lian learned the basics. He even pestered the veiled woman to teach him the art of acupoint striking, but she refused outright, and he had to give up.

From a distance, Jinling was magnificent, and as they drew near, Yang Lian felt the city's immense presence even more keenly. Though smaller than modern cities, it possessed a grandeur all its own.

The closer they came, the denser the crowds grew. At the city gate, Tang soldiers were inspecting the arriving people. Yang Lian expected some trouble, given the veiled woman's suspicious appearance and the sword at her waist. Yet, to his surprise, she entered the city without hindrance, dashing his hopes of seeing her unveiled face—a disappointment that left him with a sense of loss.

Entering Jinling awakened memories long buried. He suddenly recalled that, in his previous life, his wife had passed away in this very city. Perhaps the residual memories of his predecessor stirred a sense of guilt within him. Though she had been the daughter of his enemy, she had treated him with nothing but kindness. But the past was gone. For Yang Lian, living well was the greatest tribute he could pay to her memory.

"Where are you taking me?" Yang Lian asked.

"I only know the address is in the southern part of the city," the veiled woman replied. It seemed she was not well acquainted with Jinling, especially the south.

She did not know if the city’s southern district held any special significance, but she considered her task complete once she delivered Yang Lian there.

Yang Lian remained calm; having come this far, he would make the best of it. He had other matters to attend to, but it was now midday, and after a morning's travel, he was famished. The past few days had been spent hurrying on the road, eating meagerly. For someone with his appetite, these days had been pure deprivation.

As soon as he entered the city, Yang Lian searched for a tavern. Spotting one of considerable size and bustling with patrons, he patted his stomach and said, "Heroine, I'm hungry."

The veiled woman was speechless. Yang Lian had first addressed her as a beautiful lady, now as a heroine—titles she disliked. But she knew that arguing with him would only cause her more trouble, so she kept silent, deciding she would settle accounts with him once her errand was done.

Nevertheless, Yang Lian’s words reminded her that she, too, was hungry. She nodded in agreement.

The two walked toward the tavern. Suddenly, a cacophony of hooves sounded ahead, and the crowd scattered as seven or eight horses galloped past in a whirlwind. Those unable to dodge in time were left covered in dust, and one even took several lashes from a riding whip. About to curse, he was restrained by a companion: "Are you mad? Those are the sons of noble families; their fathers are all rich and powerful. They are not to be trifled with."

Yang Lian smiled faintly. It seemed that, in any era, the sons of the wealthy and powerful formed a world of their own.

After the commotion passed and the street returned to order, Yang Lian and the veiled woman entered the tavern. The servant hurried over. "What would you like, honored guests?"

"A jug of yellow wine, three plates of house specialties, and a pound of rice," Yang Lian ordered, without consulting the veiled woman.

She pursed her lips in silence.

The tavern was indeed thriving, nearly every table full. Conversations swirled through the air, and Yang Lian listened keenly, absorbing all he could.

Some discussed this year's harvest. The monsoon had arrived, and although Jinling had been spared, Suzhou and Changzhou had suffered. Especially in Changzhou, bordering Wuyue, the yield had dropped by at least half.

Others spoke of the ongoing conflict with Wuyue. It was said that Crown Prince Li Hongji, young and impetuous, advocated a major offensive to retake the strategic city of Suzhou.

But the ministers led by Prince Qi, along with Feng Yansi and Feng Yanlu, vehemently opposed this plan. Their reasoning was simple: even the great talents Yang Xingmi and Xu Wen had failed to capture the embattled Suzhou in their day. Now, after two generations of careful governance by Qian Yuanxiu and Qian Wenfeng of Wuyue, Suzhou was a fortress. An attack by Southern Tang was likely to end in failure.

This was no idle warning. In fact, whenever Southern Wu or Southern Tang had clashed with Wuyue over Suzhou and Changzhou, the attacking side had almost always been defeated, while the defenders prevailed.

Moreover, with Southern Tang already mired in war with Min, opening another front would overstretch their forces. The troops stationed in Huaibei could not be redeployed south, as they were needed to guard against the armies of Later Jin. Thus, the ministers counseled focusing on Min and avoiding direct confrontation with Wuyue.

Though hostilities with Wuyue continued, there was a distinction in approach.

With both sides presenting valid arguments, the emperor remained undecided about launching a campaign for Suzhou. For now, the military movements in Suzhou and Changzhou were mainly for show.

Yang Lian listened attentively and grasped the situation. For the moment, the Southern Tang court was divided into two factions—one led by Li Hongji, the youthful and vigorous crown prince. In theory, as the eldest son, he should have been named heir, but in reality he was only the Duke of Dongping, not even a prince.

It was said that the current emperor, before the ancestral shrine of his predecessor, had pledged that the throne would pass from brother to brother. By this arrangement, the succession was meant for Prince Qi, Li Jingsui, so Li Hongji held only the title of duke.

Yang Lian recalled television dramas portraying Li Jing appointing Li Jingsui as imperial heir. But Li Jingsui, being weak in temperament and overshadowed by Li Hongji’s military merit, eventually resigned the title—and was poisoned by Li Hongji while returning to his estates.

Though dramatized, Yang Lian believed there was truth in these stories. He understood that his goal in Jinling was not so much to restore his former kingdom as to realize his own ambitions—to carve out a place for himself amidst chaos.

Southern Tang was perilous, but by taking an unconventional path, he might succeed. From the tavern talk, he learned that Li Hongji was a strong and ruthless leader, not someone to serve under. Prince Qi, on the other hand, was weak but had once been named crown prince—offering Yang Lian an opportunity.

If he could help Li Jingsui retain his position as heir, and if Jingsui one day ascended the throne, Yang Lian would be the greatest benefactor. The challenge was how to approach Jingsui without arousing suspicion.

Suddenly, Yang Lian remembered the Princess Huairou whom he had saved—perhaps this was his chance. Yet he could not appear too eager. He would have to create opportunities and draw closer to Li Jingsui step by step.

As Yang Lian pondered, a commotion erupted in the tavern. A burly man, at least eight feet tall, was drunkenly raving, uttering words few could understand. With his keen perception, Yang Lian made out that he was from Min, and had once served as a junior officer in the Min army.

Yang Lian narrowed his eyes. This man had been a Min officer and now served as a junior officer in Jinling’s Shenwu Army. This was valuable information.

PS: Apologies for the recent delays—work has been busy. I’ll do my best to resume regular updates. Thank you all for your support.