Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1159 One day he left the capital and the world knew of him; a storm suddenly arose as he headed to the northern border.
The flames of war have already begun to ignite beyond the Great Wall.

In the capital,
As Zhang Jinyu's border troops set off, and the 10,000 elite cavalry began packing up their camp, the capital fell into an eerie silence.

Inside the Imperial Guard camp,
Wang Ziteng sat in the main tent of the military camp, staring at the Ministry of War's dispatch order on the table. He frowned deeply. The document ordering the troops to be transferred back to the camp outside the city was issued by the Ministry of War, but it did not contain the Emperor's handwritten order. Moreover, it was written by Wei Zhanying himself, which should have been approved by the cabinet. This was quite strange.

Inside the tent,

Wang Ren and Jia Lian were still there. These past few days, the two of them had been wearing light armor and carrying swords. They hadn't even mentioned returning to the manor. Seeing that his uncle was silent, Wang Ren couldn't help but ask.
"Uncle? But there's a problem with the transfer order."

This question made Jia Lian and the others look at the Ministry of War's transfer order on the table. The ink was still wet, and Wei Zhanying's signature was crystal clear, but it was strange that it lacked the imperial decree from the palace.

Jia Lian had also guessed it, and while hesitating, he voiced his guess.
"Uncle, the Ministry of War's order to transfer troops at this time suggests that they were prepared in advance. Could it be that after the princes leave the capital, we will also have to retreat to the camp?"

To be honest, going to the main camp would be better than staying in the capital. Even though they were in the Imperial Guard camp, they were not the same kind of people after all. His eyes flickered, and he kept the rest of his words in his throat. He had been in the military camp for quite some time and knew a little about the rules.

“Brother Lian is right. It seems that the princes have secretly slipped away, and the Right Guard of the Imperial Guard has already withdrawn. Our presence here is rather conspicuous.”

Although Wang Ren was also surprised and suspicious, his experience in officialdom made him far more adept at reading people than Jia Lian. However, they could only speculate. After a while, Wang Ziteng came to his senses, spoke in a deep voice, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping across the two men's faces.
“Indeed! Minister Zhao has always been in charge of the Ministry of War and controlled all the armies, but any large-scale mobilization of the capital region, especially the elite Imperial Guards protecting the city, has always required a personal edict or imperial seal from the Emperor as proof, to show that the Emperor's favor comes from above. The same applies to the mobilization of the Beijing Garrison. Now…”

He tapped his fingers heavily on the transfer order.

"With only the seal of the Ministry of War and the signature of a vice minister, how can it be moved lightly? Moreover, Wei Zhanying is well aware of the implications and would not overstep his bounds without cause. This order... should have been issued by the cabinet. What the palace says is yet to be known."

"Huh? Uncle, really? The cabinet would be so bold."

Wang Ren exclaimed in surprise, thinking that the court had been preoccupied with the major case in the Ministry of Justice for the past few days, so how could it be their turn?

Jia Lian was also greatly shocked. He suddenly thought of the events surrounding the palace a few days ago. Could it be that the Emperor had already suspected something? His mind was in turmoil, unable to make sense of the situation.
"Uncle, should we stay or leave?"

Wang Ziteng took a deep breath, lifted the tent flap, and a gentle breeze blew in, instantly invigorating him.
"Have the scouts returned yet? Since I have accepted the documents, it means one thing: Marquis Luoyun must have also received the news. Let's see what the border troops outside the pass are doing by Qiushui Lake."

"Yes, uncle."

The two thought about it and agreed. Just as they were about to go out and ask, the personal guard captain rushed in.
"General, the border troops of Marquis Luoyun by Qiushui Lake are already packing their bags. But what I find strange is that a messenger has gone to the West City Wharf, and the garrison camp at the West City Wharf is also being mobilized. I don't know why."

The messenger was a trusted personal guard of Prince Teng. After receiving the order, he personally led his men to keep watch. However, he was puzzled to find that Marquis Luoyun's troops would actually send a message to the West City Wharf.

Upon hearing this, Wang Ziteng frowned, muttering "West City Wharf." Logically, when Marquis Luo Yun's troops withdrew from the capital, they should either return to the Anhu camp like he did, or go to the old camp outside the East City. Why would they go to the West City Wharf?

"Did you see clearly what those canal transport guards did?"

"Reporting to the General, I have seen clearly that the Guards are already assembling and have begun to gather merchant ships and warships. I believe that Marquis Luoyun intends to travel by water."

The captain dared not conceal the truth; once the guards moved, they would naturally travel by water.

Wang Ren shook his head.
"That's not right. Marquis Luo Yun has been embroiled in cases all along. Why would he lead troops to the docks and even take the waterway? Could he be heading back to the border? That's impossible."

Wang Ren clearly didn't believe it. If Marquis Luoyun wanted to return to the border, he would need to write to the cabinet and the emperor. Moreover, most of the soldiers in the capital garrison had only just settled down. Marquis Luoyun had a lot of things to attend to when he returned to the capital, so how could he leave?

Jia Lian agreed. He had heard yesterday that Magistrate Xu had been sentenced to death by hanging in the autumn, and many court officials were still arguing about it. Perhaps the transfer order from the Ministry of War was different. He suddenly came to his senses and clasped his hands in greeting.

“Uncle, could it be that the transfer order from the Ministry of War is different? But there must be a reason why Marquis Luoyun left in such a hurry.”

"Yes, you're right. That's something Uncle didn't think of,"

Wang Ziteng paced back and forth, circling around a few times, before finally raising his head with a sharp look in his eyes;
"Observe the situation and issue the order to remain still and perform your duties. Anyone who acts rashly will be punished according to military law!"

"Yes, Commander."

Upon receiving the order, everyone in the tent dared not hesitate and immediately set off.

As Prince Teng coldly gave the order, messengers rushed back and forth, attracting the attention of many Imperial Guards. Looking at the Ministry of War's transfer order on the table, Prince Teng narrowed his eyes, thinking about the events that had occurred in the capital these past few days. It seemed that someone was unwilling to remain silent. Who could it be? Or was it a hidden hand left behind by several princes?

Just as undercurrents were swirling within the various military camps of the capital.

Within the Imperial Palace

The West Warm Pavilion of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

At this moment, the Empress was sitting on a recliner by the window. On the small table beside her, Dai Quan had already brewed fresh tea. The pure aroma of the tea filled the entire warm pavilion, and just a whiff of it was refreshing.

The sunlight streaming in through the window made the room even brighter, but unfortunately, a secret letter from the Imperial City Guard immediately darkened Emperor Zhou Shihong's cheerful mood.

Upon closer inspection, the secret letter revealed the unusually frequent mobilizations of the Jurchen tribes outside the Great Wall, and the unusual rallying calls on the Donghu grasslands. With autumn in full swing and horses at their fattest, the signs of "restless activity" immediately came to mind.

It seems that the northern border is not stable. If Marquis Luoyun really wants to leave the capital, then the war planned in the northern border will be delayed.

"Dai Quan, is there any new information about the movements of the Jurchens?"

Is it a genuine urge to act, or just a deliberate attempt to create confusion?

"Your Majesty, I have also searched for intelligence from several places outside the pass. The intelligence from a month ago said that the Yuezhi people expanded eastward and seized the grasslands south of the Jurchen's territory. After the Jurchen were defeated, they retreated significantly and returned to Liaonan to reorganize their military. But now they want to invade outside the pass, probably to hunt grass for the winter."

Everyone in the court inside Dawu Pass knows what kind of people those barbarians are. Autumn is already here outside the pass. If we don't make preparations now, who knows how many people will die when winter comes.

"It seems that Marquis Luoyun is not outside the pass. The Jurchens can't wait any longer. According to the secret letter, the land of the Han Sea is now being divided up by the Donghu and Yuezhi people. It seems that the Yuezhi people are also restless. The north is probably not stable."

The Emperor was deeply worried. The northern lands were at war every year, which consumed most of the court's money and grain. In the end, there was no peace.

Just thinking,

Outside the screen, the curtains fluttered, and a palace attendant quietly announced something.

"Your Majesty, Marquis Luoyun has arrived."

"Let him in,"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As the eunuch announced the arrival, Marquis Luoyun, who had been waiting outside the hall, entered. Dressed in military attire, his anxious expression was impossible to conceal. He immediately performed a deep bow.
"Your subject Zhang Jinyu pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Martial Emperor!"

"Be flat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The relationship between the ruler and his subject flowed smoothly between the two. After Zhang Jinyu stood up, the Empress looked at the strong and capable man in front of her and felt a pang of reluctance. She handed the memorial on the table to Dai Quan.

"Take a look at this memorial from beyond the Great Wall. I suppose you've received the news. What do you think of it?"

Zhang Jinyu reached out and took the secret letter. He immediately flipped through it and found that the contents were almost identical to what he had received, except for the number of recipients. He closed the letter, sent it back, and immediately replied.
"Your Majesty, I received a secret letter and rushed here immediately. Currently, the Jurchens, Donghu, and Xianbei peoples on the northern border are all stirring up trouble. I suspect that news of the rebellion in Jingnan has reached beyond the Great Wall, leading them to believe that the court is exhausted."
There is another matter. My troops have already captured Pingliao City to defend against the Jurchens. However, the Jurchens are now harboring wolfish ambitions, having formed the Han Eight Banners, mainly composed of Han people, numbering approximately 300,000. They may already be at the city gates today. I implore Your Majesty to make a wise decision and allow me to immediately lead the border troops back north beyond the Great Wall, and to order the northern border regions to prepare for war in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances!

Time waits for no one. If the key passes and passes along the border do not have sufficient reserves of food and supplies, it will be too late.

The warm pavilion was silent, save for the sandalwood incense burning slowly in the gilded incense burner, emitting wisps of blue smoke. The Emperor's fingers tapped unconsciously on the sandalwood imperial desk as he recalled the secret letters that had come from the north in the past few days. His brows furrowed. He had to fight, but how to fight was still undecided.

"The northern border is still guarded by border troops, so there shouldn't be any major problems. In the northwest, the Gong family is stationed in the Hexi Corridor, so the Xianbei won't invite trouble. Only the area outside the pass, which connects to four war zones, is in a state of high alert and cannot be taken lightly, but..."

The Martial Emperor's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor.

"The interior has just been stabilized; if a major war breaks out outside the pass..." The Martial Emperor pondered, weighing the pros and cons repeatedly in his mind. Marquis Luo Yun was determined to leave, and his military power was fundamentally located outside the pass. Forcing him to stay would be pointless and would only create resentment. If war were to break out outside the pass, how long would it take?
"Lord Luo Yun, how long do you think it will take to fight outside the pass?"

Zhang Jinyu lowered his head. How long this battle would last depended on the Jurchens. Whether they were really fighting or deliberately using the battle to force peace and gain benefits, these questions could only be answered once they reached the border. He then clasped his hands in a fist and reported back.

"Your Majesty, I do not know either. How long the battle will last after returning to the border depends on the Jurchens' attitude, or whether the Yuezhi in the north will also take action. I have no idea at the moment, but I think that if we are going to fight, we should fight them hard. Otherwise, they will invade the border every autumn and it will never end."

After much deliberation, Zhang Jinyu also felt that as long as there was an opportunity, they should strike hard and at least severely damage the main force of the Jurchens. Perhaps they could learn from the Yuezhi and seize their territory, forcing them to fight.

Hearing Luo Yunhou's resolute words, everyone in the room froze, even Dai Quan stopped in his tracks. These words really sounded like Luo Yunhou's.

The Martial Emperor slapped the table and smiled.
"You are just too young and impetuous. The Jurchens suffered a loss in the north this time. With autumn approaching, if we don't take this opportunity to seize more supplies for the winter, many people will die. Your request... is granted!"

The Martial Emperor's voice carried a hint of sighing, yet also revealed a resolute determination.
"I have my own arrangements for the safety of the capital region. Dai Quan, issue an imperial edict to Prince Teng to withdraw his troops and return to camp. Issue an imperial decree to appoint Marquis Luoyun as the Governor-General of the Northern Region, to command the entire area outside the pass, as well as Luoyue Pass and the various prefectures and armies of Zhongshan County as transit points, to kill the Northern barbarians."

Since war is inevitable, then we must demonstrate the might of the imperial court.
"My lord, take the order!"

Luo Yunhou's voice was resolute, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.
"With me here, I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's trust, and the northern barbarians will never be able to set foot outside the pass!"

He kowtowed to express his gratitude, his movements swift and efficient, but the Emperor was still not at ease and asked again;

When do you plan to leave?

"Your Majesty, speed is of the essence in war. I have received the imperial decree and will set off immediately. I will depart from the West City Wharf, board the Imperial Guard's warship, and travel by water day and night. I will reach Yunyang County in three days. After disembarking, I will ride at full speed for another two days to reach the border."

Zhang Jinyu dared not delay. The leisurely pace he had taken when he came to the capital was no longer possible. Five days of forced march should be enough.

"Alright, Dai Quan, write the imperial edict and affix the imperial seal."

Emperor Wu suddenly stood up, and Dai Quan dared not delay. He used the imperial brush on the imperial desk to write an imperial edict, showed it to His Majesty, and then stamped the imperial seal on it.

Upon receiving the imperial edict, Marquis Luoyun did not hesitate for a moment. Holding the edict, he bowed again.
"Your Majesty, I am leaving. I have left two thousand elite cavalry at my residence to assist the Northern Garrison in capturing members of the heretical sect. If Your Majesty summons me, I can mobilize them with an imperial decree. Your Majesty, please take care of yourself and wait for my return."

Thinking of his time in the capital, Zhang Jinyu's heart sank. He wondered when he would be able to return after this departure. He kowtowed deeply, then rose and slowly withdrew.

This kneeling and this walking
Even the Martial Emperor, standing beside the dragon throne, shifted slightly, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent. For a moment, he too became sentimental.

"Dai Quan, when do you think Marquis Luo Yun will be back now that he's gone?"

"This, Your Majesty, this servant does not know either. I suppose what the Marquis said is true: as long as the Jurchens are dealt with, things should be quick, perhaps by winter, when the people will return."

Dai Quan dared not say more. As the saying goes, anything can happen, and when he would return depended on fate.

"Yes, by the way, didn't those good-for-nothing scoundrels in the Ministry of Justice send me a memorial to discuss their crimes? Find it, I want to see it."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

At this time, the Marquis of Luoyun's residence,
Ningbian had already assembled his troops and headed towards the West Market. On the north bank of Qiushui Lake, he joined Duan Hong's five thousand troops and marched in a grand procession toward the West Gate. Along the way, the soldiers, armor, and provisions they carried stretched for miles.

Duan Hongyi noticed that Ning Bian was not with the Marquis and was surprised. He asked;

"Ningbian, where is the Marquis? When are we going back to the border?"

With a loud, gruff shout that was deafening, Ning Bian slightly turned his head and gave a curt rebuke.
"General Duan, please do not be anxious. The Marquis will go to the palace to bid farewell first and will meet us here. Zhao Wu is with the Marquis. Someone, order the troops to stop."

"Yes, General."

As messengers went out in all directions, ten thousand elite cavalrymen stopped at the foot of Yunshan North Mountain outside the West Market. This stop immediately attracted merchants from the north and south, as well as many onlookers, who flocked to taverns and teahouses to watch the spectacle.

Whether by coincidence or not, several princes were drinking in a partitioned room by the window on the second floor of Youlai Inn. Hearing the neighing of warhorses not far away, they were immediately drawn over. Zhou Zhengbai, the prince of Zheng's mansion, took a sip of wine and smiled.

"It's really lively today. The troops in the south look familiar. Could they be the men of Marquis Luoyun?"

Pointing out the window, he saw a dense mass of dark iron cavalry at the foot of Yunshan Mountain, exuding an oppressive aura that was likely far superior to the Imperial Guards.

The group of people sitting around immediately turned their gaze to the window. Zhou Yewen, the heir apparent of the Prince of Song, couldn't see clearly yet, so he stood up and stood on tiptoe to look into the distance. He then saw the large banner standing at the front, which was clearly the army of the Marquis of Luoyun.
"Brother, you guessed correctly. It is Marquis Luoyun's men, but I wonder what their purpose is in gathering here."

Just as he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered his father's instructions to transfer Marquis Luoyun away from the capital. Could it be that Marquis Luoyun is going to leave?

The group sitting around the table instantly understood this idea. Prince Zhou Xingshan's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"Gentlemen, is this not the plan of Mr. Fan from Brother Bai's residence? The troops of Marquis Luoyun have clearly arrived here and are about to leave the city. Perhaps Marquis Luoyun will follow them."

"No way, it's only been a few days. Even if there's a plan, it can't be used immediately. Perhaps Marquis Luo Yun has returned to his camp outside the city to rest."

Prince Zhou Lianghao of Wu curled his lip. His father hadn't sent a letter from the south yet, so why had Marquis Luoyun left?

Upon hearing this, most people nodded in agreement, agreeing with the idea. Only Prince Chen's heir, Zhou Yunfu, shook his head.

“My fellow brothers, I suspect that Marquis Luo Yun may have really left. Look, these people have come from the shore of Qiushui Lake to this place, and they are obviously heading west. If they are going back to the camp, they should go to the south gate. Surely Marquis Luo Yun wouldn’t want to take a detour back through the west gate.”

This means going around in circles, which will take a lot of time.
"That's right. Someone, quickly send someone to keep an eye on things. Report back immediately if there's any news."

"Yes, master."

The group pondered the situation, feeling that something was amiss. Zhou Zhengbai, not daring to delay, immediately sent men to keep an eye on the south. If it really was Marquis Luoyun returning to the border, they needed to find out what was going on.

At the foot of Yunshan Mountain,

Marquis Luo Yun had already arrived on horseback. Looking back at the bustling capital, he felt a pang of melancholy. He didn't know when he would return, and besides, he still needed to make arrangements for his mother.
"Zhao Wu, you will command the two thousand men in the manor. Take these letters back and give them to Madam. Also, go to the Rongguo Mansion and give two of the letters to Madam Lin and Madam Xue."

Zhang Jinyu didn't shy away from suspicion and stuffed the envelope that had already been written in the study into his hand. Unexpectedly, Zhao Wu's eyes reddened and he choked up.

“My lord, why don’t you let General Duan stay? I will go back with you. The journey is long, and General Duan is getting old. It would be best if he stayed.”

Before he could finish speaking, Duan Hong immediately shouted angrily.

"Bullshit, Zhao Wu, I think you've grown too big for your britches and dare to spout nonsense."

Zhao Wu's face turned red with anger. Only Ning Bian was suppressing his laughter. Zhang Jinyu, on the other hand, was not polite. He chuckled and patted Zhao Wu's arm.

"You brat, you're always thinking about nonsense. The reason I'm keeping you here is to look after my family. It's a heavy responsibility. You also need to keep an eye on the court's every move. If anything happens in the capital, the family of the Marquis must be put first. Do you understand?"

If disaster strikes, the two thousand elite troops can leave the city.

"Yes, my lord, I obey the order."

Suppressing his reluctance, Zhao Wu saluted, which Zhang Jinyu returned. Then, looking at the many generals and officers before him, he suddenly burst into laughter.
"Gentlemen, we have come with great enjoyment, and we should leave with great enjoyment as well. Give the order, blow the horn, and board the ship at the dock."

"Yes, sir."

The officers and soldiers responded loudly, and immediately, the mournful sound of bugles echoed throughout the capital.

"Waaaaah! Waaaaah! Waaaaah!"

(End of this chapter)