Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2395: Unusual Movement (XIV) Entering the Capital

"Everyone, this is Tongzhou. After Tongzhou, go west for more than 40 miles to the capital. Although our town is stationed near the capital, it is also an outer town. You are not allowed to enter the capital without the emperor's order. Therefore, it is inconvenient to send more people. Please do as you please for the rest of the journey... By the way, remember to strictly enforce military discipline. In this capital under the feet of the emperor, if there are any criminals, the court will not let them off easily."

The man who was speaking was about forty years old, with a stern face and a pair of eyes like dots in the starry sky. A murderous aura could be seen in his glance, and one could tell at a glance that he was the fierce general who had fought his way through the mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

The people he was talking to were the three main officers of the Longjiang Second Army who had traveled all the way from the northeast through the snow to Beijing to receive the military flag, as well as Ningqian Military Preparations Director Qian Menggao who came with them.

As soon as he said this, Hong Guoer immediately raised his hand to express his gratitude, saying, "We are very grateful to General Zhang for escorting us all the way. As for military discipline, General Zhang, just rest assured. Thanks to your great blessing, our army has sufficient food and grass. If there are still those who don't know what is good for them, there is no need for the court to question them. I will personally chop off their heads and apologize to the emperor!"

General Zhang seemed quite satisfied, and nodded slightly to show his approval. Then he turned to Qian Menggao and said, "Qian Bingxian, if we continue walking, we will have to enter the capital. Should your three thousand soldiers and horses be taken back to Jizhou with us for resettlement?"

Bingxian and Guancha are both elegant names for the military preparation department, but "Bingxian" emphasizes the military power, while "Guacha" emphasizes the civilian attributes. This General Zhang called Qian Menggao Bingxian to emphasize that you, Qian Menggao, are now leading the troops and cannot act arbitrarily.

However, Qian Menggao smiled and waved his hand, saying, "I don't think it's necessary to go to such trouble. Foreign troops cannot enter the capital, but it's fine to stay in Tongzhou. I'll be back in the capital for about half a month to report on my work. If I go to Jizhen again on the way back, I'll have to take a detour... In this case, why not let them station outside Tongzhou City and bring them back on the way back to Ning."

General Zhang narrowed his eyes slightly and said calmly: "Qian Bingxian, this is not in line with the usual practice, right?"

"What convention?" Although Qian Menggao, the military governor, was not as senior as the general of Jizhen, he was a civilian official and did not take the other party's warning seriously. He said calmly, "The convention is that foreign troops are not allowed to enter the capital. Tongzhou is neither the capital nor an attached city. It is just near the capital. Why can't I station troops here?"

General Zhang's eyes were irritated, and his tone gradually turned cold. He replied sternly, "This is our town's jurisdiction! According to the law, if there is any mistake when soldiers from other towns pass through our town, our town will also be held accountable by the court. Now Qian Bingxian is determined not to let his soldiers accept our town's deployment and resettlement. If the court asks about it later, I don't know how our town should respond."

Qian Menggao chuckled, raised his chin slightly, and said proudly: "If any of my soldiers commit crimes, General Zhang can just impeach them. You are a former general of the Yuanfu, are you still afraid that the cabinet will protect me?"

General Zhang stared in silence for a long while before saying, "Qian Bingxian is indeed qualified to ignore my warning. It's because I can't control you... However, since Qian Bingxian doesn't listen to my advice, I can only inform the court as soon as possible. I'm sure Bingxian won't mind, right?"

"General, please do as you please." Qian Menggao waved his hand casually and said, "However, I read the weekly report published today, which said that the Prime Minister unfortunately fell ill a few days ago... I don't know if anyone will pay attention to this petition, hehe, hehe."

The two men were getting increasingly angry, and Li Ruzhang, the chief of staff of the Second Longjiang Army, stepped out to smooth things over, saying, "Brother Sanxi, Qian Bingxian just wanted to save some time on his way back. It's a normal thing to do in this cold winter, so why are you so nervous? How about this, if Brother Sanxi is willing to give me some face today, I will host a dinner to express my gratitude to you in the future. What do you think?"

General Zhang looked at Li Ruzhang, and the anger in his eyes gradually disappeared. Finally, he nodded and said, "Since Li Silang has spoken, I, Zhang Wanbang, can be flexible because we are old friends in Liaodong. However, let's be frank. If something really happens, how to report it? This town still has to report it truthfully."

It turned out that this Zhang Zongjun was none other than Zhang Wanbang, who had just been transferred from the Korean general to the Jizhen general a few months ago. He had served under Gao Youshi for many years and had made great contributions in the Battle of Mo Nan and the Battle of Liao Nan. He not only made contributions in the war against the Japanese in the war to aid Korea, but also made great contributions in quelling the civil unrest in Korea. He was often regarded as the "iron wall" under Gao Youshi, especially famous for infantry and chariot battles, and had fought many classic battles of infantry controlling cavalry.

"Of course, of course." Li Ruzhang smiled and clasped his fists, saying, "Thank you very much, Brother Sanxi, for your kindness... Ah, it's getting late. Brother Sanxi seems to have to rush back to Jizhen today. How about we say goodbye now?"

Zhang Wanbang glanced at a few people. Hong Guoer and Bomu Boguoer both raised their hands subconsciously to give orders, but Qian Menggao looked up at the sky and ignored him at all.

Zhang Wanbang had no way to deal with the civil officials, not to mention that they also had a minister, so he could only snort and turn around to bow to the other three military officers, saying, "Well, then, we'll say goodbye. Everyone, please."

The three of them quickly returned the greeting and said, "General Zhang, please."

Zhang Wanbang pulled his horse's head back with familiarity, turned around and waved to the troops he had brought along with him, shouting, "All the troops, follow me back to the town!"

His troops were part of the First Army of Jizhou, and they were the elite of the A-class army. Hearing this, he subconsciously shouted, "Wansheng! Return!" Then he stood at attention and turned around. The rear army became the front army, and the front army became the rear army, and they began to walk back. Zhang Wanbang and several generals rode their horses past and headed for the front army.

As soon as Zhang Wanbang left, Li Ruzhang frowned and approached Qian Menggao, saying in a slightly reproachful tone: "Why bother to get angry with this warrior? If you say a few polite words, can he really do anything? If you are so rude, it will alert the enemy and ruin the whole thing, won't it?"

Qian Menggao said in a gloomy tone: "Since you are a warrior, why should I be polite?"

Li Ruzhang was very angry at his words. Although he knew that the two sides were allies now, he could not help but frown and said in a neither soft nor hard way: "I am also a warrior, and my father is also a warrior."

Qian Menggao sensed that Li Ruzhang's tone was not right, but he refused to give in. He just shook his head and said, "Your father is now a meritorious official, how can he be compared to a soldier like Zhang Wanbang."

Li Ruzhang's temples throbbed with swelling, and after finally calming down, he reluctantly replied, "At this time of great importance, it is better not to mention these trivial matters... I will go to the capital with the Second Longjiang Army. Will Guancha Qian go with me, or will he settle his soldiers and then go to the capital on his own?"

Qian Menggao waved his hand and said, "Li Silang, just go ahead. I still have to settle things down." After a pause, he lowered his voice and said, "Although the situation in the capital is under control, we still need to wait for the Prime Minister's order. How can I separate from the army? When Silang goes, the Imperial Guards will definitely send troops to accompany him... You must remember that this Imperial Guard accompanying you will most likely be the only fully equipped army in the capital this time. If anything happens, you must entangle them..."

Li Ruzhang was a little displeased and interrupted, "Qian Guancha, you and I have different duties, and we are not under the same command. Are you trying to give me orders by saying this?"

Qian Menggao frowned, turned his head and looked at Zhang Wanbang's Jizhou First Army who were gradually going away, suppressed his dissatisfaction, and continued to say: "Li Silang, what I said is not an order, but what we are doing now is really a big deal, and every move must be cautious... Just like Zhang Wanbang, he said he wanted to hurry up and take Jizhen, but who knows?

I am staying here temporarily because I have not received the order from the Prime Minister, and I am also worried that Zhang Wanbang will come back, or he will not leave, but stay nearby to continue monitoring our army. Do you understand?" Li Ruzhang did not expect this, and said sternly: "Is it so? I never thought that Zhang Wanbang could have such a scheme... Well, rest assured, Qian Guancha, I will act carefully. However, Qian Guancha, who is alone in Tongzhou, needs to take care of himself."

Qian Menggao waved his hand and said, "It's okay. Although Tongzhou is close to the capital, the imperial guards will only patrol under orders. It is still safe now. As for Zhang Wanbang, as long as my Liaodong army does not move, he will not act rashly even if he is nearby. He may not even care whether I stay in the army.

As for you, once you enter the capital, you need to keep an eye on the behavior of the Imperial Guards. Although your new army has not been trained for long and its combat effectiveness may be worrying, the Prime Minister and your father did not ask you to really fight with the Imperial Guards. They just asked you to find a way to deal with them and delay them for a while at the critical moment. The real main force in this major event is the Tengxiang Four Guards in the city and the Second Town of the Imperial Guards controlled by your Wulang..."

After that, Qian Menggao lowered his voice and said to Li Ruzhang: "I have received a secret order from Prime Minister En this morning. If there is any change in the capital, your troops must respond immediately..."

Li Ruzhang's expression became serious after hearing this, and he asked, "What did the Lord say? What do you mean by 'changes in the capital'? How can I determine this 'changes in the capital'?"

Qian Menggao said, "If my guess is correct, you will be discovered by the Imperial Guards soon after you enter the capital, and then the Imperial Guards should take you to the Beijing North Camp to stay temporarily, waiting for the flag-raising ceremony of the court. In this case, you only need to pay attention to the changes of the Imperial Guards... For example, if the Imperial Guards suddenly gather, you should take action."

Li Ruzhang thought about it, and although he was not very happy, he still had to ask: "According to Qian Guancha's opinion, what should I do then?"

Qian Menggao said, "Of course we won't attack the Imperial Guards... Even if they only have the Third Town that has been issued weapons, that's still more than 10,000 elite soldiers, which is definitely not something that the 3,000-plus recruits of the Longjiang Second Army can match. Forcibly attacking the Imperial Guards is like hitting a rock with an egg. In my opinion, you can lead your army to suddenly leave the Jingbei camp. No matter where you go, the Imperial Guards must send troops to chase you back. In this way, their strength will naturally be tied down."

Li Ruzhang's mind moved, and he said, "As soon as I leave, the Third Regiment of the Imperial Guard will send troops to pursue us, and the strength of the Jingbei Camp will immediately decline. My fifth brother may..."

Qian Menggao was relieved to see that he finally got the point, and nodded, adding, "That's right. In addition, I think you can lead the Third Guards to any place you want, but don't go south. Try to be as far away from the capital as possible. Do you understand the reason?"

Li Ruzhang nodded and said, "Of course. If we want to lure the tiger away from the mountain, how can we move it to the place where the decisive battle will take place?"

"Well, since Li Silang has already understood the plan, let's go now without delay." Qian Menggao bowed and said goodbye. Li Ruzhang also returned the greeting and said goodbye.

After the two of them finished talking, Li Ruzhang, Hong Gor and Bomu Bogor led the "skeleton army" of the Second Longjiang Army and set off straight for the capital.

Qian Menggao watched them go away, thinking to himself: "This change in the capital is related to the life and death of my Xinxue lineage. If I succeed, I will get everything back, if I fail, I will lose everything. I must lend a helping hand to Prime Minister En, and take down all those practical school members who are full of money and steal high positions, and completely cleanse the palace."

On the other side, Li Ruzhang and his men led the Longjiang Second Army and encountered the scouts of the Imperial Guards not long after they entered Kinki. Li Ruzhang was going to greet them, but unexpectedly, the other party quickly withdrew the report and had no intention of meeting them directly.

Li Ruzhang thought for a moment, spoke briefly to Hong Gor and Bomu Bogor, and continued to lead his troops forward. Not long after, a large army with a strong military presence came towards them.

Seeing this, Li Ruzhang was secretly alert in his heart, but he remained calm on the surface. He rode forward alone and shouted loudly: "I am Li Ruzhang, the chief of staff of the Longjiang Second Army. In the ranks are our army's general commander Hong Guoer and deputy general commander Bomu Boguoer. The three of us, under the order of the prime minister, led our Longjiang Second Army to the capital to receive the military flag. I wonder who is the commander of the Yulin troops ahead?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a tall cavalryman in black armor and red cape rode out. He looked to be about fifty years old. He smiled from afar and said, "It's been a long time since we last met, General. You look more energetic than ever. Do you still recognize our old friend from Liaonan?"

Li Ruzhang had previously learned from Qian Menggao that the Imperial Guards received the weapons from the Third Town, so the person who came was most likely Ma Dong. He was not surprised and laughed out loud, "So it's 'Rushan Town' that's here. I was wondering why they were so overwhelming... Brother Ma, how are you? I'm honored to meet you!"

Ma Dong laughed loudly, but did not approach on horseback. Instead, he stopped a hundred steps away without making a sound, and said from a distance, "Fourth General, Commander Ma received orders from the Cabinet and the Ministry of War to send me here to welcome your army into the capital. However, the city is too crowded to accommodate you. Please accommodate me and stay with me in the northern camp temporarily, waiting for the imperial court to present the flag!"

Although it was supposed to be Hong Guoer, the commander of the Second Longjiang Army, who should have answered the question, Li Ruzhang and the general were old acquaintances, so it would be better for him to answer the question. Li Ruzhang just looked back at Hong Guoer politely, and the latter also tactfully extended his hand to signal Li Ruzhang to do it for him.

Li Ruzhang then took the initiative to ride his horse forward a few steps and said, "Thank you, Brother Ma, for coming from afar to greet us. Since it is an order from the court, we will certainly wait for your instructions. Thank you, Brother Ma, for your help."

Ma Dong breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "General Si is too polite..." Then he waved behind him and ordered, "Come on, escort General Si and his troops into Beijing and return to the Beijing North Camp for a while."

As soon as he gave the order, the Third Regiment of the Imperial Guards immediately changed formation and quickly surrounded the Second Longjiang Army in the middle, preparing to escort it.

Hong Guoer and Bomu Boguoer saw the Third Town of the Imperial Guards quickly changing formations, marching, and encircling. After the whole process, even the formation did not loosen up, and they could not help but change color. Although Li Ruzhang's eyes flickered a few times, his expression was calm as usual. He just complimented Ma Dong who came forward: "Such a military formation is indeed 'like a mountain'."

Ma Dong waved his hand and said modestly, "General Si has a long history of learning, so don't be so polite... Commander Ma has prepared wine and food in the camp, just waiting for your army to enjoy it. Let's go quickly, don't let the wine and food get cold and you won't enjoy it."

Li Ruzhang laughed, gave the order to set off, and rode side by side with Ma Dong. Along the way, they talked about the scenery of Liaodong and reminisced about the past. They really looked like a pair of old friends.
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