Springtime Farming: A Happy Wife At Home

Chapter 2285: Jiangning’s Intention

Losing Hangzhou City meant losing a vast eastern territory including Shaoxing, Ningbo, and Zhoushan, among others—a heavy blow that no one could ignore.

Soon, the Third Prince and his courtiers had no choice but to accept the harsh reality: Hangzhou City had indeed fallen into Shao Yunduan’s hands. Su Huai and his forces were completely obliterated, with Su Huai himself reportedly fleeing on a fishing boat, most of his followers perishing at sea—an ignoble end for the man who had cost the Empire such a significant loss.

The courtiers, heartbroken and seething with hatred, clamored for justice. They flooded the Third Prince’s court with impeachments and demands for retribution against Su Huai.

After venting their anger, the pressing question before everyone was: What should be done now?

In response, the courtiers’ gazes flickered, their expressions awkward or evasive as they struggled to devise a viable plan.

Retaking Hangzhou City sounded simple enough in theory. Yet, after losing nearly all their forces to Su Huai and depleting vast resources, the prospect of mounting a counterattack seemed dauntingly impractical.

Moreover, what if recapturing Hangzhou City provoked the Fourth Prince’s or the Second Prince’s rebellious factions? Both harbored deep animosity toward the Emperor, viewing him as their greatest threat to the throne.

To concede defeat, however, meant relinquishing Hangzhou City—a prized jewel in Jiangnan, renowned for its abundance of resources.

The dilemma weighed heavily on their minds as they debated their next move.

Someone proposed sending an envoy to Shao Yunduan, urging him to return Hangzhou City to the court. Others suggested leveraging their bargaining power, persuading Shao Yunduan to recommit to their cause. As a minister of the empire, he had been greatly favored by the late Emperor and Crown Prince, and was well-versed in the teachings of the sages. Did he truly wish to be branded a traitor?

For several days, the court debated these options, determined to transform enmity into alliance. They planned to offer Shao Yunduan greater rewards, potentially elevating him to the rank of Earl.

They believed this approach might succeed.

After lengthy deliberations, an extensive list of rewards was drafted: Shao Yunduan was appointed the Lord of Loyalty and Courage, his family members receiving titles commensurate with their status, including his wife, parents, and siblings, along with county

As for Qi, he could be directly conferred the title of a fourth-grade general.

The only regret was that Shao Yunduan’s sister was already married; otherwise, they would have brought her to court and elevated her to the status of consort.

The Third Prince voiced no objections, affirming that Shao Yunduan deserved such honors.

Upon his surrender, his contributions would be duly recognized with further rewards, the courtiers suggested. They also proposed sending Liao Mingzhong for another diplomatic mission, recalling his previous visit with Lord Han from the Ministry of War, who had delivered the imperial edict to Hangzhou City alongside the Su brothers. The fate of Liao Mingzhong and Lord Han, now also trapped in Hangzhou City, remained uncertain.

This situation posed a delicate dilemma.