Chapter 106: The Banquet of Deception Hosted by the Governor of Yizhou (Part One)

The banquet was held in the rear hall. Besides Zhang Chi and Qin Bo, who had accompanied him, there was one other guest: Luo An, the Commandant of the Court Censorate, who had first greeted Zhang Chi at the gates of the Wang Residence.

Among the officials in Shu, the only one truly trusted by the Prince of Chengdu was Luo An. He was not originally an official of Shu; back when the prince was still healthy, Luo An served as his advisor. When the prince entered Shu, he brought Luo An along.

The Prince of Chengdu knew he had no real foundation in Shu and could not immediately reclaim military power from the various prefectures and commanderies. To contend with the local bureaucracy, he had to firmly grasp economic control. For this reason, he appointed his trusted aide, Luo An, as Commandant of the Court Censorate, overseeing the profits from salt and iron and supervising the supply of military provisions.

This gave Zhang Chi some relief. Although resisting the Hu invaders was a daunting and difficult task, at least with Luo An, one of their own, in charge of logistics, military provisions would not be a problem.

The Prince treated Zhang Chi with great courtesy, largely due to Miss Wang. Had it not been for her scheme to send him far into Shu to be granted a title, he might have long since fallen victim to palace intrigues in Jiankang.

The story behind this was lengthy, and the Prince did not go into detail with Zhang Chi. He only mentioned that over a month ago, Miss Wang had already made arrangements in advance, anticipating future events. Therefore, the affairs of Shu would rely heavily on Zhang Chi.

The Prince’s words were polite, and Zhang Chi responded with modesty.

Miss Wang clearly placed great hopes on him. When she said she was entrusting Shu to him as a land where a hero could rise and build a legacy, could it be that she foresaw the current situation in Shu and wanted him to seize this opportunity to establish himself? Zhang Chi felt a surge of emotion but knew that all these arrangements Miss Wang made would inevitably increase his burdens, requiring all his effort to fulfill.

It had been like this from the moment he entered the Canghuai camp, to resisting the Northern Court’s forces along the Yangtze, and now in Shu, it remained the same.

Miss Wang truly understood Zhang Chi’s character: without pressure, he would never reveal his full brilliance.

Speaking of Miss Wang, Qin Bo felt a pang of sorrow.

“Before her passing, Miss Wang entrusted us, the former generals of the Xie faction in Shu, to follow you. There are many of Xie’s old officers here in Shu. As long as you give the order, they will surely rally to your cause, though the troops won’t be numerous,” Qin Bo said.

“As long as there is a response, that’s good, that’s good,” the Prince of Chengdu said with relief and gratitude. “Thanks to your arrival in Shu, I truly don’t know how else we would resist the Hu invasion.”

After a moment of conversation, Luo An smiled and asked Zhang Chi, “Young lord, you’ve just arrived in Chengdu. Where are you staying now?”

“For the time being, at the courier station,” Zhang Chi replied.

“You have already been appointed Grand Commander, overseeing all military operations in Shu. How can you still stay at a courier station?” Luo An hurriedly said. “I happen to have a spare residence in the eastern part of the city. Why don’t I give it to you? It’s not a mansion, so please forgive the modest accommodations for now. The Prince of Chengdu will have a new home built for you soon on one of Chengdu’s bustling streets.”

Zhang Chi tried to decline, but even the Prince insisted, so he reluctantly agreed. “If that’s the case, there’s no need to build a new home immediately. The urgent matter now is to gather forces and march north to resist the Hu. The military expenses will be huge, and the burden on the people heavy. It’s better to save the cost of building a house for now.”

Where he lived was of little concern to Zhang Chi.

The Prince and Luo An could not help but lavish compliments: “Young lord’s heart is with the people. Truly, the people of Shu are fortunate.”

Why did officials always talk like that, whether good or bad? Zhang Chi mused inwardly.

...

By the time they left the Wang Residence, it was already afternoon. Luo An accompanied Zhang Chi back to the courier station, intending for Zhang Chi and his followers to move to the residence in the eastern part of the city.

As soon as they arrived, Dark Blade was waiting at the door to hand Zhang Chi a letter. His tone remained cold and icy: “When you left, someone came with a letter inviting you to a banquet.”

Zhang Chi took the letter, and Dark Blade scolded coldly, “You officials only know how to feast and indulge yourselves, preying on the common people.”

Zhang Chi knew Dark Blade harbored resentment towards officials, so he chuckled softly. Qin Bo had already grown accustomed to Dark Blade’s attitude, but Luo An was puzzled: Why did this masked woman speak to the young lord in such a manner? Luo An didn’t dare to speak up, only scanning Dark Blade up and down.

Seeing Luo An in his splendid robes, Dark Blade had no good impression. Noticing Luo An sneakily glancing at her, she widened her eyes and said, “What are you looking at? Keep staring and I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

Luo An had never met such an unreasonable woman and remained silent.

“This is…” Zhang Chi chuckled, unsure how to introduce Dark Blade. Suddenly inspired, he said, “This is my bodyguard.”

“What official rank is a bodyguard?” Luo An asked.

Only then did Zhang Chi realize that the title "bodyguard" might not yet exist, so he said, “Just a guard.”

A mere guard daring to be so bold? Luo An muttered inwardly. Zhang Chi noticed his confusion and explained, “A personal guard, a higher rank.”

The more Zhang Chi explained, the more confused Luo An became. Zhang Chi gave up on the topic with a smile and opened the letter.

The invitation was from the Governor of Yizhou. After finishing his affairs at the Wang Residence, the governor had sent someone to inquire about Zhang Chi’s background but only learned that he came to Chengdu with the Prefect of Bajun and was staying at the courier station. Beyond that, nothing else could be found.

So, on the surface, the governor invited Zhang Chi to a banquet, but in reality, he sought to probe Zhang Chi’s true intentions.

This was exactly as Zhang Chi had predicted. He had already told the Prince of Chengdu that the governors of Yizhou and Liangzhou would surely come to invite him, and indeed, they had.

Zhang Chi smiled slightly and handed the letter to Luo An, who quickly said, “Young lord’s foresight is truly remarkable. Since you intend to go to the Governor of Yizhou’s residence to persuade him to raise troops against the Hu, this is a matter of great importance. The move to relocate your residence will have to wait.”

“We can move anytime. I am unfamiliar with Chengdu’s layout. Would you, Sir Luo, accompany me and guide the way?” Zhang Chi said.

Of course, Luo An wanted to see how Zhang Chi would convince the governor to send troops, and he eagerly agreed.

Zhang Chi laughed, “I just finished eating at the Prince’s residence, and now I must attend another banquet at the Governor of Yizhou’s mansion. My stomach is truly being put to the test.”

Previously, when Zhang Chi went to the Wang Residence, Dark Blade could not follow, which displeased her. Now, of course, she would stay by his side. With such a formidable protector, Zhang Chi felt assured. Without even entering the courier station, the three of them—Zhang Chi, Luo An, and Dark Blade—headed straight to the Governor of Yizhou’s residence.