Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1163 War Breaks Out Beyond the Pass
The next morning,

As the morning light bathed the earth, the capital city was bustling with activity once again.

Marquis Luoyun's residence,

It was still peaceful. In the main hall of the East Garden, Baozhu, accompanied by her maid, was setting out a meal on the table while muttering to herself.

“Miss, the Marquis left in such a hurry, leaving a letter, and we haven’t seen him again.”

inside the house,

Ruizhu was helping Qin Keqing change and wash when she heard Baozhu complain. Ruizhu smiled and replied, "..."
“Madam, look how angry Baozhu is. I know what happened. Yesterday, Baozhu went to Yaoji Shop and bought some tea cakes. She said that adding two cakes to the soup would enhance the flavor. So, Baozhu simmered the soup in the kitchen for three hours. Who would have thought that the Marquis wouldn’t come back to taste a single bite?”

After saying that, she covered her mouth and chuckled. Qin Keqing glanced sideways, thinking of the lotus seed soup she had tasted the night before. No wonder it had a hint of sweet tea flavor.
"Say less, Baozhu is quite efficient."

But outside,
Baozhu had already heard Ruizhu's words and felt wronged. She stepped inside.

“Miss, look what Ruizhu said. She drank the most of the soup served last night.”

Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Qin Keqing smiled helplessly.
"You lot, stop arguing over these trivial matters. From today onwards, Baozhu will take better care of things in the outer courtyard, while Ruizhu will handle the matters inside the house. Those who go out to buy things should inquire at the merchant guild. During the day, no one in the mansion is allowed to go out and about at will."

Knowing that her husband had left, Qin Keqing felt a little flustered, but when she thought of the words Zhao Wu brought back after leading his troops back to the Marquis's mansion, she felt somewhat at ease. Moreover, the old lady had not left. Thinking of her "mother" going to Jing'an Temple to worship Buddha, which had been going on for several days, she asked again.
"Has the old lady returned yet?"

"Miss, the old lady hasn't returned yet, but she sent word through her servants that she's fasting at Jing'an Temple for a few days to pray for the Marquis. Two concubines are there to take care of her, so she should be fine."

Baozhu speaks her mind quickly. She had been thinking about these things before, wondering if she should send someone over to check. It wasn't until yesterday that someone came back to report the news.

Qin Keqing frowned slightly, but said nothing, and gave the order;
“Send someone to report to the old lady every day about what’s happening at the manor. Also, tell the old lady about the Marquis’ departure. Send someone to deliver the message today.”

"Yes, miss,"

Baozhu dared not delay, so she put down her work and hurriedly went outside. Only the two of them, the mistress and her servant, remained inside. After Ruizhu finished combing her mistress's hair, she couldn't help but ask.
"Miss, should I send someone back to ask Master Qin?"

Qin Keqing paused, then shook her head.
“Father should know about these things. Now that the Marquis has returned to the border, it must be something important. It concerns the safety of the Marquis’s mansion, so we can’t be distracted. By the way, didn’t Zhao Wu bring back those letters? Give them to Baozhu later and have her send someone to the Rongguo Mansion to deliver them.”

Thinking of Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai from the Rongguo Mansion, a strange expression flashed across Qin Keqing's face. She wondered what the reason was that the women of the Rongguo Mansion were still on her husband's mind.
"Yes, Miss, I remember."

Ruizhu bowed slightly, helped her mistress sit down at the table, and handed her chopsticks to eat.

“Miss, there is still that Master Miaoyu in the manor. Didn’t the Marquis say before that he wanted to go to Qingyu Nunnery to take a look? Now that the Marquis has left, what should we do if Master Miaoyu wants to go to Qingyu Nunnery to cultivate?”

Although Ruizhu was not as cunning as Baozhu, Xiangling and that Master Miaoyu were the only ones in the manor who looked so much like their mistress, which was hard to believe. The servants in the manor, though they didn't say it, all knew in private that these two were probably going to stay in the manor permanently.

Qin Keqing held the bowl of porridge, took a small sip, and smiled.

"You see, now that the Marquis has returned to the border, everything in the manor should be kept simple. As for that Master Miaoyu, didn't the central courtyard have a Buddhist hall built? Since it's a place for nuns to practice, there aren't so many rules. Qingyu Nunnery is outside the city, so it's inconvenient for female relatives to travel. She can stay in the manor."

Thinking of Miaoyu's appearance and the fact that her father also had the surname Qin, a strange feeling arose in his heart. As the saying goes, it's better to avoid trouble. Since he was at home, there was no need for him to go out and show his face.

"Yes, Miss, I've got it."

A gentle breeze blows.

The wind caused the curtains inside the room to sway.

I don't know if it's because of Beijing, but the rainy season came later than usual this year. It's already past August, and the drizzle over Beijing has been going on for days.

The water level of Qinghu Lake has risen considerably, and the shimmering waves created by the gentle breeze are a unique sight in the capital.

On the northeast shore of Qinghu Lake,

The Guanchao Pavilion in the Princess's Mansion is exceptionally elegant, built by the water. At this moment, the fine drizzle is pattering on the broad banana leaves, making a rustling sound.

The inner flower hall of the pavilion

A jade chessboard was placed in the center, with Liu Yue serving in front of her. Not far away, a stick of agarwood was lit in a gilded incense burner, its fragrance lingering and gentle.

Inside the room, black and white chess pieces were locked in battle, but the only player was the eldest princess. She was not playing against anyone else; she was simply setting up a game of chess by herself.

Princess Zhou Xiangxue had a refined and noble appearance. She was dressed in a simple light gold dress. Her eyes were fixed on the white pieces on the chessboard. The white pieces had lost control of most of the board and were only putting up a stubborn resistance in one corner. The black pieces, on the other hand, had become an unstoppable force that could sweep across the entire board.

“My lord, after Marquis Luoyun led his troops out of the city yesterday, he went straight to the West City Wharf and left. He did not return to his residence before leaving. I left a scout at the wharf, but I have not seen Marquis Luoyun return today. He must have really returned to the border.”

Wei Shuyun stood there, reporting in a low voice. Or rather, the wind was still but not yet calm; quite a few people were watching Marquis Luoyun's departure from the capital.

After listening, the princess remained silent for a long time, only gently rubbing a white jade chess piece between her fingertips, making a soft, warm friction sound. Outside the Guanchao Pavilion, the sound of rain grew louder, making the room even more silent.

"Oh dear, it's really interesting now. As soon as people leave, all the demons and monsters, both inside and outside, start to move... even faster than I expected."

She finally parted her lips slightly, her voice low but carrying a hint of mockery.

“Master, this servant does not understand. When Marquis Luoyun left, he only withdrew more than 10,000 elite troops from the border. The scouts in the city reported that the 2,000 troops assisting the Northern Garrison Command did not leave. It is said that they are continuing to assist in the cleanup of the remnants of the cult. Why are there so many reactions from various forces in the city?”

Wei Shuyun was somewhat confused, as the connection between them was not apparent on the surface.

"You, I told you to learn and observe more, but you just don't take it to heart. With Marquis Luoyun's martial prowess, the troops he took away are like removing the tight band around their heads and the fear in their hearts. Who would dare to lead 10,000 troops to block the Imperial Guards' left and right armies? Tsk tsk."

The princess's gaze swept over the chessboard, she withdrew her hand, placed it on her lap, and looked somewhat wistful.
"The civil officials are resourceful but lack courage. The nobles not only lack strategy but also their bravery. On the contrary, the military governors in various parts of the Guanzhong Plain have all shone brightly in this campaign to quell the rebellion in Jingnan. Not to mention others, who used to take the military governors of the prefectural army seriously? But now, even the magistrate of Hongnong is getting attention."

His gaze returned to the chessboard, and he said again;

"Therefore, many people may have only just realized that with military power comes everything. Even Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, and Prince Dong Ping, Mu Shi, despite their leisurely lifestyle in the capital, now, who dares to underestimate them?"

The eldest princess paused, and finally placed a white piece on an empty spot. Unfortunately, if it were someone from the Su family, they would have understood this long ago and wouldn't have died in the capital. Now it seems that Marquis Luoyun was forced to leave by the Jurchens, but who knows if it's like releasing a tiger back into the mountains or a dragon into the river? Perhaps some people understand, but dare not speak out.

"Master, do you still need to make arrangements for things in the capital? After all, the princes have already returned to their fiefdoms, and news of what's happening in the south will soon reach us."

"Well, we have no one to rely on now, so let's hold back for the time being. Our people should go further to Xihe County. We've bought so much land, it's time to harvest some grain. But we don't know who will make the first move in this game."

Picking up another chess piece, I looked out at the gloomy sky and the continuous rain outside the window, and finally placed it in the middle. Instantly, the entire white chessboard came to life.

"Yes, Your Highness, I know what to do. There is one more thing. These past few days, there have been many imperial guards from the Northwest at Princess Yongcheng's residence. I sent people to inquire and they said that the consort of the Second Princess's fiefdom actually wrote a letter to the Western Prince's residence, but before he even left the fiefdom, he was captured by the Second Prince's guards. Now the consort is being kept at the Princess's residence."

After thinking for a moment, Wei Shuyun decided to tell them about what happened at the western residence. It was no wonder that the people there noticed; the two princesses' residences were too close together, and any disturbance could not be kept secret.

"Hmph, he can't even keep an eye on one person. But that Prince Consort He is really hard to say. Do you know why he sent a letter to the Gong family?"

The princess immediately became interested. If Yongcheng and the Western King's Palace were to collude, she might lose even her fiefdom.

"Your Majesty, this servant is incompetent and has not been able to find out anything. After hearing the news yesterday, I sent people to the Northwest, but the journey is long, and even if they find out the news, it will not be quick." Especially since the Northwest is not peaceful now, with bandits everywhere, who knows how long it will take for the news to come back.

"No rush. When the rain stops and the weather gets better, I'll ask my sister to go to Jing'an Temple to offer incense and ask her about it."

"Yes, master."

Suddenly, the eldest princess reached out and overturned the chessboard, a smile appearing on her lips. She thought of a piece of news from more than a month ago: the Empress Dowager had actually sent someone to the south. She wondered if it was related to Yongcheng.
"Shuyun, send members of the Su family to various counties in Jingnan and Jingzhou to investigate the situation."

"Yes, master."

Outside the pass,

Pingliao City
The mournful sound of bugles echoed throughout the battlefield. This time, the Jurchen army besieged four cities. The Han Eight Banner soldiers, carrying scimitars and siege ladders, frantically climbed up and fought the defending soldiers to the death.

Even Zhang Wenyuan, who was usually expressionless, stood on the city wall with a grim face.

"General!"

suddenly,

Behind him, his deputy general Liu Kun spoke in a hoarse voice, pointing to the chaotic situation outside the city and the siege engines of the rear army, which were slowly approaching.

"Look! The Jurchens have reinforced their troops again!"

Outside the city, the Jurchens pushed siege engines and arrow towers, rushing out of their main force like arrows released from a bow. When they were only three hundred paces away from the city wall, they drew their bows and nocked arrows. With a whooshing sound, the arrows shot into the city wall, causing a series of screams.

"Archers, prepare. Aim at the enemy's arrow tower and fire."

Almost instantly, the archers guarding the city walls formed ranks, raised their crossbows, and fired at the Jurchen archers outside the city.

A dark cloud flew across the sky and fell, followed by a barrage of armor-piercing arrows. The Jurchen and Han Eight Banner archers fell dead almost without even a scream, leaving large areas of space empty.

But the soldiers in the rear kept filling in, fearless of death.

Seeing this situation,

Zhang Wenyuan, the commander on the city wall, immediately ordered the mobilization of the second batch of rotating soldiers to the city. As the messengers relayed the order, a large number of soldiers rushed up the city wall and fought with the Jurchens.

“General, I have a feeling that something is not right. This time, the Jurchens are using Han Eight Banners people, which are our Han people who were captured. How come they are so fearless after being transformed from bondservants into soldiers?”

The deputy general looked incredulous. He had thought these men were just a bunch of scattered soldiers, but when they attacked the city, they were comparable to the elite Jurchen troops.

Zhang Wenyuan squinted, staring at the fierce fighting on the city wall, a hint of hesitation creeping into his heart.
"No matter what tricks they play, it's a pipe dream to try and get to the top of the city. There are still nearly 50,000 troops inside the city, with plenty of arrows. What are we afraid of? Send a message to Pingyang City by carrier pigeon to tell them what's going on here."

"Yes, General."

As the deputy general acknowledged and left, Zhang Wenyuan's gaze finally turned to the distance. He saw that three miles outside the city, the banners of the Jurchen Khanate had been raised, and a massive formation of tens of thousands of elite cavalrymen stretched out across the land in an orderly fashion. The fierce Jurchen elite cavalrymen wore leather or chainmail armor dyed dark brown, and their mounts were all fine steeds from the northern deserts.

At the front of the column were rows of light cavalrymen wielding huge curved swords, exuding a murderous aura; behind them were infantrymen, all clad in heavy armor, almost like the soldiers from beyond the Great Wall.

It seemed the Jurchens had committed their main force; they were truly going to fight the Marquis. Lost in thought, he was suddenly interrupted by a shout from the frontline lieutenant.
"The enemy's arrow tower is approaching. Prepare the ballistae and fire."

"Yes!"

The flag officer immediately waved his flag, and the ballistae hidden on the city walls emitted a sickeningly loud twang of their strings. The thick, cold iron crossbow bolts gleamed with a deathly light in the sunlight, aimed at the arrow towers that were slowly approaching from outside the city.

Almost instantly, a whistling sound shot out from the city wall, heading towards Liang Zhu, who was supported by the arrow tower. Then, the arrow tower collapsed with a crash, and cries of agony filled the air.

"Keep winding,"

They fired almost repeatedly until the bowstring loosened before finally abandoning the projectile.

Throughout the city walls, the fighting between the attackers and defenders grew increasingly fierce. On the ladders, the defending soldiers hurled stones down, the sound of skulls exploding as the stones rolled down. Meanwhile, the curved swords of the soldiers climbing the battlements severed the necks of the defenders, blood gushing into the sky like a fountain, limbs splattering everywhere. A severed arm flew off the battlements, its fingers still trembling.

Subsequently, the Jurchen soldiers who were climbing the wall were pierced through the neck by spears, fell off the city wall, twitched a few times, and then fell silent.

This battle,

The fighting lasted from noon until dusk, and the bloodstains covering the city walls became especially tragic under the setting sun.

Only when the sound of gongs rang out from the Jurchen main force did the Han Eight Banners soldiers retreat like a receding tide.

Zhang Wenyuan stood wearily on the city wall, his face pale. In just one day, the number of casualties had exceeded five thousand. How many more days could this city hold out?

"Brother, brother, are you alright?"

Not far from the city wall, his brother Zhang Wenqing, along with his personal guards, hurriedly caught up to the top of the wall. Seeing his brother standing alone on the city wall, he couldn't help but feel anxious.

"It's nothing. Why did you come here instead of staying in the city to keep watch?"

Upon seeing that it was Wen Qing who had come, he frowned and asked with concern. After all, there were still many Jurchen people living peacefully in the city. If there were spies instigating trouble, Pingliao City would certainly not be able to be defended.

“Brother, everything in the city is as usual. I have already arranged for soldiers to guard all parts of the city. Anyone who makes any unusual moves will be killed without mercy. I have heard that the Jurchens and the Eight Banners are truly fierce and brave.”

Although there was a hint of distrust on his face, the soldiers who retreated from the city were all terrified.

"They are indeed fierce and brave. They fought for three hours, and not a single one of them retreated. It's unexpected."

Or rather, it was unbelievable! Zhang Wenyuan looked at the city wall not far away, already covered in blood and stained reddish-brown. Looking further afield, he saw the Jurchen army slowly retreating.
The sight of severed limbs and broken bodies beneath the city walls, and soldiers carrying corpses away before my eyes, all felt somewhat strange.

Zhang Wenqing stood there, though he had many questions to ask, but considering he would still need to defend the city tomorrow, how could he dare to ask any more unnecessary questions?

"Brother, according to the casualty statistics from each unit, our brothers have lost about five thousand men today. If things continue like this tomorrow, we may not be able to hold out for more than a few days. I wonder if the Marquis and Zhang Chuanying of Pingyang City have received the news yet."

I'm slightly worried.

"Whether we receive the news or not, even if we die here, we will defend this city. When the Marquis left, he personally handed Pingliao City over to us brothers. How can we just hand it over? The Jurchens are not three-headed and six-armed. This is not the first time we have fought them. Haha."

A hearty laugh came from Zhang Wenyuan's mouth, and Zhang Wenqing immediately felt relieved and echoed;
“Brother, you’re right. There are still so many defensive weapons in the city, including countless tung oil-soaked iron arrows. I think we should set up more crossbow formations tomorrow and fire three volleys at once to dampen the Jurchens’ spirit.”

His eyes were filled with murderous intent. Today, the Han Eight Banners have swarmed in, most of them wearing only leather armor. It seems that the iron armor is now worn by the Jurchens. These people who have forgotten their ancestors deserve to die.

"Alright, tomorrow, under the inner city wall, we will line up in a row with 20,000 soldiers, and deploy them in three rounds of intermittent formations, so that those people will know the advantages of the troops outside the pass."

"yes, Sir."

(End of this chapter)