The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Chapter 924 Korean Envoy
The talks lasted half a day, and the two sides signed an alliance agreement.

Watching Luo Jue'anchang leave under the escort of his entourage, Jia Yu glanced at him twice, then walked up to Jia Lian and whispered:
"General, perhaps we should..."

Jia Yu raised her hand and made a gesture of annihilation.

As the second-in-command of the firearms battalion and the commander of one of the two armies in this battle, he was somewhat unwilling for the war to end like this.

After all, he had traveled all the way from Tianjin to Jianzhou via Shanhaiguan, and apart from minor skirmishes, he hadn't experienced any major battles. He always felt that he was a bit superfluous.

There were a thousand cavalrymen arrayed at the foot of the mountain, while the Jurchens seemed to number few. He felt that if they rushed forward, they might be able to kill all the Jurchens here.

Su Keguang and the others had smiles on their faces. After all, they had won the war and forced the enemy to sign such an unequal treaty, which was quite an achievement.

Upon hearing that Jia Yu wanted to break the alliance on the spot, he quickly dissuaded her: "No, don't treat people like fools."

Although it seems the other side didn't bring many troops, since they dared to come, they must have been well-prepared.

"Don't ruin the general's grand plan."

Jia Lian smiled and looked at his distant cousin, saying, "Cousin, there's no need to worry. This time, you led the main force and successfully drew the Jurchens' attention, which enabled me to launch a surprise attack."

My cousin also played a crucial role in this battle.

Realizing her little scheme had been seen through, Jia Yu smiled sheepishly and withdrew.

Jia Lian then ordered a fast horse to inform the court and Prince Bei Jing of the events, and also to send the signed alliance document back to the capital by fast horse.

Although he had the authority to decide all military and political affairs in Liaodong, it was impossible to consult him on many matters at any time, given how far away they were.

However, for major events like signing an alliance agreement, it is still necessary to report to the top boss immediately; this is a matter of attitude.

After arranging these matters, Jia Lian stood on the mountaintop, looking at the barren landscape all around, and felt that this place had become beautiful.

So he laughed and said, “Plant the flag of my Great Wei here, and leave three hundred soldiers to build a viewing platform here.”

Jia Lian was no aloof scholar; how could he not leave behind a "monument" to commemorate his achievements?
Everyone readily accepted Jia Lian's order.

This was Jia Lian's achievement, and also the achievement of all their troops in the campaign against Liaodong.

Overjoyed, everyone then asked about the army's next course of action.

Jia Lian said, "The army will proceed to Jianzhou in two routes according to the original plan."

However, the Jurchens were not unified, and that old man probably could not fully represent all the Jurchens.

Therefore, even after signing the alliance, they still had to guard against a surprise attack by the Jurchens.

In short, we will give the Jurchens one month to withdraw.

A month later, the three armies quickened their march, determined to ensure that not a single Jurchen would be seen in the entire Jianzhou region!

"Yes, General!"

……

The war in Liaodong ended with the surrender of the Jurchens and the relocation of their entire clan from Jianzhou.

At the same time, news of victory arrived like snowflakes, one after another, drifting into the capital of the Great Wei, into the imperial palace, and landing on Emperor Ningkang's desk.

Emperor Ningkang has been in a great mood lately, and even his complexion has become rosier.

After waiting for more than two months, he finally received a handwritten letter from Jia Lian.

In the letter, Jia Lian explained to him in detail how he marched after arriving in Jianzhou, how many battles, large and small, he fought, and what results he achieved.

The report of victory was brief, without lengthy descriptions or elaborate accounts of the military achievements; it was simply a straightforward account.

But perhaps because he had waited for Jia Lian's good news for more than two months before it finally arrived, the first time he saw it, it not only increased the credibility of the news, but also had the effect of being a bombshell.

According to the eunuchs on duty in the Daming Palace, after reading the secret report from the Duke of Rong and the General Who Pacifies Liaodong that day, Emperor Ningkang, who was usually stern and unsmiling, actually slapped his thigh with joy and said with a smile, "I knew I hadn't misjudged this kid!"

Of course, Jia Lian did not boast of his achievements, but "middlemen" like Shui Rong, who were in charge of information about the Liaodong war, wrote extensively about them for him.

Moreover, these second messages differ from Jia Lian's handwritten memorial.

Jia Lian's memorial was sent back to the capital in secret, whereas generally, good news does not require secret reporting.

Even when entering the city, the messenger would shout out the main message all the way, just to make it widely known.

This is why the news of Huo Zhao's advance into Liaodong and his series of victories spread throughout the capital so quickly.

Therefore, the fact that Liaodong had won a great victory was already common knowledge when other Liaodong officials and generals sang praises of Jia Lian's achievements.

On this day, after finishing his official duties, Emperor Ningkang did not go anywhere but waited in the Southern Study, hoping to see if there was any new news.

The secret report that Jia Lian gave him was written after the great victory in the bay, which crippled the main force of the Jurchens.

Although he knew that Jia Lian was probably not exaggerating, Emperor Ningkang still had some subconscious worries because of Huo Zhao's example, until the Jurchens completely surrendered or made peace.

He was eager to know what would happen next.

Suddenly, Dai Quan walked in with a smile on his face and reported, "Your Majesty, the officials from the Cabinet and the Six Ministries have all arrived."

"What are they doing here?"

After a period of ruthless reform, the current cabinet and six ministries have undergone a complete overhaul.

The previous batch were either implicated and exiled, or voluntarily resigned and returned home to retire.

In short, the central government has finally given him a sense of security.

Dai Quan smiled and said, "All of you gentlemen are here to congratulate His Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Ningkang realized something and straightened his posture.

Seeing that Dai Quan, that old codger, still dared to keep things mysterious, Emperor Ningkang simply ignored him and let all the ministers in.

Sure enough, as soon as he entered, Zhao Dongsheng, the former cabinet minister and concurrently Minister of Revenue, who is now the Grand Secretary, smiled and said:
"Your Majesty is overjoyed.

On the third day of the ninth month, the General Who Pacifies Liaodong held a military meeting with the chief leader of the Jurchens at Black Hill Mountain, between Liaodong and Jianzhou, and the two sides signed an alliance treaty.

The alliance stipulated that the Jurchens must unconditionally surrender to our Great Wei.

Furthermore, all Jurchens must relocate from Jianzhou within one month, and Jianzhou will henceforth be taken over by the military of our Great Wei.

Amidst laughter and conversation, without even having time to perform the proper etiquette between ruler and subject, he handed the latest memorial and a letter of alliance he was holding to the eunuch, who then presented them to Emperor Ningkang.

He explained, "Because the contents of the victory report were so astonishing, your subject and all the lords were overjoyed to hear of it."

I have even violated regulations by intercepting this report of victory directly from the Office of Transmission so that I could send it to Your Majesty immediately. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness.

Emperor Ningkang no longer cared what Zhao Dongsheng was saying. He even stood up and took the report and the alliance document from the eunuch.

After hesitating for a moment, he put the report aside and opened the alliance document to read it.

Upon closer inspection, his previously somewhat cloudy eyes immediately gleamed with a sharp light.

The treaty had few clauses, but each one was so domineering and unreasonable.

But he likes it.

After carefully reading it twice, Emperor Ningkang looked up at the smiling ministers.

He then realized he was still standing, so he sat down and picked up the report again to read it.

It was written by Jia Lian himself. The report mainly explained his views on the situation in Liaodong, as well as why he signed such an alliance with the Jurchens and the process involved.

Seeing that Emperor Ningkang had clearly finished reading the report, Zhao Dongsheng took the initiative to say, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Rong's expedition to Liaodong not only resolved the military calamity in Liaodong in one fell swoop, but also crippled the main force of the Jurchens."

Now, we are forcing the Jurchens to sign such an alliance, bringing Jianzhou completely into the territory of our Great Wei.

This is the first time since the founding emperor that the entire landscape of Liaodong has been truly restored.

This can be described as an achievement in expanding territory.

Your Majesty has a keen eye for talent. Your decision to appoint Rong Guoping, who was in charge of Liaodong, despite opposition from many others, was truly wise and decisive.

"Our Great Wei will surely reach its zenith once again under Your Majesty's rule."

Seeing that Zhao Dongsheng had already set up his platform, the officials immediately understood and shouted in unison:

"Congratulations to your majesty, congratulations to your majesty."

Normally, Emperor Ningkang wouldn't be interested in the flattery of his ministers.

But at this moment, with such achievements in hand, he happily accepted the unanimous flattery from his ministers.

After all, he had been under a lot of pressure, both inside and outside, since he came to Iron Net Mountain.

He seized imperial power, but he was also destined to lose many things.

In particular, he was well aware that there were still many people within the dynasty who hoped for a disastrous war in Liaodong, ideally leading to a large-scale invasion by the Tatars.

In this way, those people could take the opportunity to criticize him, or even request the retired emperor to be restored to the throne.

This is why he was so cautious at first, and only dared to make the decision to launch another campaign against the Jurchens after Jia Lian repeatedly assured him. Fortunately, Jia Lian did not disappoint him, and his gamble paid off.

Similar to the chain reaction that failure can cause.

The Liaodong battlefield was won, a great victory, forcing the Jurchens to surrender unconditionally.

The benefits it can bring are countless.

Putting aside everything else, his achievement of expanding territory and restoring the Liaodong territory from the time of Emperor Taizu was enough to suppress all villains.

However, despite his joy, Emperor Ningkang couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

How should we reward this young man after he returns to the capital?
Alas, it was too hasty to bestow upon him the title of Duke after the Iron Net Mountain incident.

It needs to be suppressed.

"Your Majesty, as stated in the letter from the Duke of Ningguo, the Jurchens have all been relocated from Jianzhou, and the entire land of over a thousand miles in Jianzhou now belongs to our dynasty."

Your Majesty, I believe the court should promptly select capable officials to take over the reins.

"Well, I'm afraid that Grand Secretary Qian is unaware of this."

Although Jianzhou covered a vast area, it was nothing more than a desolate and barren place, devoid of human habitation.

Although the Duke of Rongguo and our soldiers fought bloody battles to restore it, it did not actually have much effect on our dynasty.

As Rongguo Gong suggested, we should simply send an army to garrison the area to assert our sovereignty.

As for sending officials, that's naturally unnecessary.

Why send officials to a place that's hundreds of miles away and uninhabited?

Grand Secretary Qian asked in surprise, "I know that place is a cold and sparsely populated area."

But saying it's a desolate place is an overstatement, isn't it?

"Those Jurchens are hateful, but now that they have submitted, our superior nation should send officials to educate and civilize them, so that they may be blessed by the Holy Dynasty..."

Everyone laughed when they heard this.

"I'm afraid that Grand Secretary Qian has not carefully studied the report submitted by the Duke of Rong."

The Duke of Rongguo's campaign against Jianzhou was a ruthless and thorough annihilation.

What does it mean to "plunder the court and sweep away the cave"? It means to destroy a country and its people.

The Jurchens didn't have many men to begin with. After repeated battles, how many of them did Grand Secretary Qian think would be left to enjoy the Emperor's grace?

Grand Secretary Qian was taken aback, and exclaimed in horror, "The Duke of Rong's actions are so cruel and domineering?"

Everyone remained silent about this.

Even those who disapproved of Jia Lian's style of doing things couldn't easily criticize him when he was riding high on his victory and clearly favored by Emperor Ningkang.

Seeing that his ministers were at a loss for words, Emperor Ningkang naturally had no intention of saying anything more.

He didn't care whether the Jurchens would exterminate him or not; what he cared about was the stability of Liaodong and the achievement of territorial expansion.

He didn't care whether there were any people in Jianzhou.

He also agreed with Jia Lian's suggestion that all that was needed was to station a troop in Jianzhou to assert sovereignty.

The imperial court is currently unable to develop even large tracts of land in Liaodong, so it is naturally impossible for it to devote its energy to the construction of Jianzhou.

That's not realistic.

"Your Majesty, I suggest that after Jianzhou is incorporated into the Liaodong territory, we should follow the example of the Northwest and establish the Liaodong Protectorate in Liaodong to oversee all military and political affairs in Liaodong, so as to reduce the pressure on the court to govern."

The Great Wei had several Protectorates, all of which were located on the frontier.

What these places have in common is that they are large in area but sparsely populated.

If it were directly under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, it would inevitably be a waste of energy and not worthwhile.

Therefore, the Protectorate General Offices were established to allow them to govern themselves internally, and the imperial court only needed to supervise them.

Emperor Ningkang remained silent upon hearing this.

In fact, he didn't like this system very much. Although it was beneficial for governance, it greatly dispersed the power of the central government.

Take the Anxi Protectorate, for example; Emperor Ningkang wanted to find a suitable opportunity to abolish it.

After so many years of development, the Anxi Protectorate has become somewhat too powerful to control.

There are even rumors now that it has an army of 100,000.

This already demonstrates the initial strength to rebel.

However, Liaodong was already large, and if Jianzhou were added, its territory would immediately double.

Given the vast area, it was reasonable for the court officials to suggest establishing a Protectorate, so Emperor Ningkang could not directly refute it.

Just as everyone was discussing, another eunuch came in to report:

"Your Majesty, the Joseon Kingdom has sent an envoy to pay his respects, and the envoy has now moved into the post station."

The official from the Court of State Ceremonial inquired whether an audience should be held.

"An envoy from Korea? What are they doing here?"

The ministers in the Southern Study were all puzzled.

Among the many vassal states of the Great Wei, the State of Joseon held considerable weight.

After all, it is the only one in the Northeast, and its population is quite considerable.

Just as everyone was discussing this, Wang Ziteng suddenly thought of something and spoke up:
"Your Majesty, as far as I know, the place where the Duke of Rong fought the Jurchens was on the border between Liaodong and Korea."

I'm afraid the Koreans are also paying close attention to this war between our Great Wei and the Jurchens.

The battle is now decided, and our Great Wei has won a great victory.

"I fear the King of Joseon is wary, worried that our Great Wei, with its victorious army, might attack him. That's why he hastily sent envoys to express goodwill to our Great Wei."

Upon hearing this, everyone agreed, saying, "Lord Wang's words make sense; I'm afraid that's the truth."

Emperor Ningkang, equally intrigued, asked, "Has the Court of State Ceremonial said anything else?"

The eunuch was unaware of the situation, but fortunately, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial was outside the palace and was immediately summoned to report.

"Your Majesty, according to the envoy from Korea, he came by ship to present treasures to Your Majesty on behalf of the King of Korea."

He also said, "The State of Korea is willing to acknowledge the Great Wei as its suzerain state for generations to come, and the two countries will maintain eternal friendship."

After hearing the words of the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, the officials burst into laughter and said, "Just as Grand Secretary Wang said, the King of Joseon was frightened by the military might of the Duke of Rong, which is why he couldn't wait to send envoys to show goodwill."

Haha, that's really funny.

Even great powers have vanity.

In any case, all the ministers in the hall were all beaming with pride.

In fact, it was pretty much what they had guessed.

The Gulf War took place right on the edge of the Korean Peninsula.

Even North Korean fishermen at sea could hear the continuous, booming sound of artillery fire that day.

Even if the King of Joseon was oblivious to everything, how could he not pay attention to a major battle taking place on his own doorstep?
This attention is significant.

He easily spotted the towering warships on the sea.

He was terrified on the spot.

He felt that the Great Wei wouldn't need so many warships to fight the Jurchens.

Fearful, he immediately sent someone to test Jia Lian.

Even though Jia Lian assured him that it wasn't aimed at him, the King of Joseon was still uneasy. He immediately ordered several more treasures to be collected and sent by fast ship to the capital of Wei.

It was both a gesture of goodwill and an attempt to gather information...

Emperor Ningkang was also beaming with joy at this moment.

At this moment, the majesty of the Celestial Empire and the supreme ruler was fully displayed.

When the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies asked again whether he should summon the Korean envoy, he waved his hand and said, "Tomorrow, we will convene a grand court assembly to discuss the situation in Liaodong, and then we will summon the Korean envoy."

At such a glorious moment, how could he not show off?

……

(End of this chapter)