Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1182 How to answer the question of returning home
Inside the Pingliao City government office,

As Fucha Zhen kowtowed, the entire hall fell silent. Zhang Jinyu sat in a chair, the teacup in her hand hovering in the air, somewhat taken aback, then chuckled, her eyes constantly scanning the plump figure before her. If it really was a banner chief surrendering, then Huang Jitai really couldn't escape.

"Fucha Zhen, whether this is true or false, neither of us are three-year-olds. Don't try to trick me with those words."

It seemed like a joke, but Fucha really did kneel down deeply.

"My lord, Fucha would never dare to do that. With Lady Wuya's kindness, there is still a bond between us. The reason I made this decision is because..."

He still hesitated on the surface, but Azig behind him was already somewhat at a loss. Things had come to this point, and his father's actions were really undignified. But when he thought about the situation in the Khan's tent, he realized that Prince Domin was really not a good master. So how could he hesitate? Seeing that his father was still hesitating, he immediately stood up and shouted.

"My lord, my father has truly pledged allegiance to me. There are some things I cannot say, but I can say this frankly: my Khan has passed away tonight. Helian Chen and Huyan Han have joined forces to suppress the news and keep his death a secret."

"Azig, you..."

Fucha Zhen, who had not yet made up his mind, looked ashen-faced, his lips trembling as he mumbled a few words.

But this news was even more shocking. Not only was Ning Bian's face solemn, but even Zhang Jinyu was momentarily dazed. Could it be that his joke had come true? Did he really die at Broken Soul Slope? He looked on with a look of dread.

"Good, Fucha Zhen, you are not as honest as your son. The bond between father and son lies in the heart and in the actions. If Huang Jitai really dies here, it is his fate, or the fate of the Jurchens. Do you know who will inherit the Khan's throne? I have heard that Hauge is a generous man. If we can talk to him, perhaps our two families can truly benefit from cooperation."

This alliance is mutually beneficial. Once the Jurchen tribal leaders join, they will all be moved to Pingliao City. The rest will be managed by the many scholars and officials under the Marquis's administration. In three to five years, or at most eight or nine years, they will be firmly in his hands.

Upon hearing the Marquis's words, the two men below the hall straightened up, their faces showing considerable difficulty. Fucha Zhen did not answer, but Aqige could not hold back and spoke up in reply.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, the Khan has designated Domin Beile, the banner lord of the Plain Yellow Banner. Beile Hauge has not succeeded to the throne."

"Hmm? Duomin?"

Zhang Jinyu was not very familiar with this person, or rather, this person was not that outstanding. Could it be that this person was recommended by Helian Chen? After all, the elite warriors of the Khan's tent were all under the command of Helian Chen, the commander.

"Yes, my lord. Domin Beile is the eldest son of the Great Khan. He has been entrusted with this mission in a time of crisis. The Great Khan's intention is to lead the army back to Liaonan to recuperate."

Fucha Zhen turned around and glared at Azige, then slowly spoke. Zhang Jinyu saw this and immediately told the two of them to get up.
"Get up and sit down. I'm not trying to criticize you, but even now, you're not as honest as your son. In the future, we'll need you to make liaisons with the various Jurchen tribes. I'll appoint you as Inspector with the rank of fifth grade. If Hauge comes this time, we can still talk. But if it's Duomin, I really won't let him leave."

Zhang Jinyu had made up his mind. Since Duomin had too much information, it meant that he was patient and would turn the tables at the last moment. He must have great luck. Therefore, he must not let the tiger return to the mountain. Looking at Aqige in the hall, he was handsome and did not look like a person from outside the pass. So he decided to give him an official position first.
"They say a son resembles his father. I think your son is better than you. If we can unite the Jurchen tribes, I can make your son a commander of ten thousand, and then you can finally rest. What do you say?"

Fucha Zhen suddenly snapped out of his daze, only then realizing that it was Marquis Luoyun who had agreed. Thinking of his son becoming a commander of ten thousand, his face lit up with joy.
"Thank you, Your Excellency. I will obey Your Excellency's every command."

"Haha, good, good. Then tomorrow, tell me how to attack the Black Mountain camp. I don't want to delay it for too long."

Zhang Jinyu squinted and asked, "Since you've joined Liangshan, you still need a pledge of allegiance." Fucha Zhen frowned and pondered for a moment before answering immediately.

“My lord, if we launch a full-scale attack tomorrow, the losses will be too great. The trenches dug at the western entrance of the valley were also dug hastily. The Jurchen warriors did not suffer great losses today, but the Han Eight Banners have lost half of their men. In addition, after five days of continuous siege, more than 200,000 troops have been reduced to less than 100,000 men. We still have more than half a month's worth of food left. Therefore, to be on the safe side, my lord should surround the city.”

The situation of the various Jurchen tribes was basically explained. Zhang Jinyu gave Ning Bian a wink, and Ning Bian understood and immediately asked a question.

"Fucha Zhen, half a month is too long. The two wise kings of the Donghu have already led their troops south. Autumn is short and winter is long outside the pass. Marquis wants Liaonan, such a large area. Time is of the essence. So, I wonder if the Inspector has any better ideas?"

The last three words, "Inspector General," were emphasized heavily. Fucha Zhen understood and, after a moment of contemplation, also gritted his teeth and said;
"My lord, when we attack tomorrow, I will lead the troops to guard the first gate. We will not use any good timber. Your lord, prepare your elite troops. When the first wave enters the valley, we will push open the gate and rush in. At that time, the troops inside the valley will be exhausted and their night's rest will not be enough. We will catch them off guard."

Fucha was truly going all out. Remembering Guarjia's words, seeking a wealthy and powerful future was better than losing power and the tribe. If he really lost his position as the banner chief, he would surely die without a burial place.

"Good, good, Fucha Zhen, I have not misjudged you. Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), I will send troops to attack on time. The first wave will be the vanguard. There must be no mistakes."

Zhang Jinyu was not one to hesitate. He would bring more shields tomorrow so that even if it seemed like an ambush, he could retreat calmly. Besides, the vanguard was full of heavily armored soldiers.

"Yes, my lord, then I will return."

Fucha Zhen rose and bowed, Zhang Jinyu nodded, and then Fucha Zhen hurriedly left with Aqige. Once they were gone, the hall fell silent again.

"My lord, I am somewhat skeptical. Even if Huang Jitai is consumed by anger, he wouldn't leave so suddenly. What if there's an ambush?"

If there were an ambush, wouldn't the vanguard suffer heavy losses? But Zhang Jinyu shook his head; if Tianyu wasn't taken, chaos would ensue.
"Whether it is or not, it is not a guess. Now that we have the opportunity, we cannot give it up. Besides, it is not just a part of the vanguard army. When the vanguard army enters the valley, let Duan Hong control the valley entrance, and I will personally lead the main army to charge in. In this way, even if the enemy army is prepared, the valley is small and tens of thousands of people are hiding inside, unable to maneuver. You tell me, if the army is in chaos, the Jurchen will be defeated."

This was Zhang Jinyu's plan. The difficulty lay in the camp at the valley entrance and the trenches; once they were over this hurdle, the road would be smooth.

"Yes, my lord, I understand. I will make preparations early tomorrow."

outside the city,

The pitch-black night, like a felt cloth soaked in thick ink, pressed heavily upon the Black Mountain. The stench of blood and gunpowder from the daytime battles had not yet dissipated, mingling with the chill of the autumn night, heavy and pervasive in the air above the Jurchen camp entrenched in the valley. Scattered torches flickered between the tents, casting dappled shadows that illuminated weary and fearful faces, and lengthened the heavy figures of Fucha Zhen and his son, Aqige.

Fucha Zhen, accompanied by Aqige, arrived at the valley entrance with trepidation. After verifying their identities, they entered the camp. Before they could even catch their breath, they were stopped by two of Domin Beile's personal guards.

"Lord Fucha Zhen, Your Highness invites you to the Khan's tent for a meeting."

The newcomer turned out to be Na Risong, the leader of the Xianghong Banner, with a cold smile on his face. Fucha Zhen's heart sank suddenly; what was meant to happen could not be avoided.

"understood."

He scoffed in response, completely unconcerned.

"Alright, let's go to the tent."

Seeing that Fucha Zhen showed no sign of distress, Na Risong waved his hand and turned to leave. Fucha Zhen followed behind, subconsciously glancing at Aqige beside him. He saw that Aqige's face was also filled with tension, his lips pressed pale. Fucha Zhen took a deep breath. There was no turning back now. He whispered to Aqige:

"No matter what happens later, keep quiet and follow my lead."

Azig nodded vigorously, his palms already sweaty.

The tent was brightly lit, with huge tallow candles illuminating the center as if it were daytime, but the shadows on the tent walls remained exceptionally deep, and an indescribable atmosphere permeated the air.

The tent was packed with people. Helian Chen sat at the left, his face expressionless, except for his narrow eyes which were slightly narrowed. The others sat on either side, clearly divided into groups. Hauge sat at the head of the table, followed by the Tongjia of the Bordered White Banner and the Guarjia of the Bordered Blue Banner. If you added the Bordered Yellow Banner and the Plain Blue Banner, it was almost a four-on-four situation. Hauge had recovered from his grief and, seeing Helian Chen's behavior, realized that he had clearly sided with Duomin. A hint of seriousness flashed in his eyes.

Huyan Han, who had long since lost his edge, sat there steadily. Only Duomin, who was in the Khan's seat, remained silent. When Fucha Zhen and his party entered the tent, before Na Risong could speak, Fucha Zhen stepped forward three times and bowed.

"Prince Duomin, Fucha Zhen has returned to report."

With just these words, the atmosphere in the tent instantly froze. The many banner leaders understood and exchanged glances. Hauge's eyes flashed with a sharp light, but Na Risong could not hold back and, in a fit of anger, rebuked them.

"Fucha Zhen! What did you say?"

Fucha Zhen remained silent, standing there steadily, seemingly disdainful of answering. This infuriated Risong, who was about to speak again.
But Duomin, who was sweating profusely, smiled and immediately replied;

"Fucha Zhen'ezhen has had a hard time on this trip. His father's old illness has relapsed and he needs to rest. I, Prince, am fortunate to take over the camp for a period of time in his father's stead. What kind of reply did Marquis Luoyun give you on your trip to Pingliao City?"

The person opposite did not say much about the Khan, but these words made the tribal leaders in the tent somewhat suspicious and uncertain. Was it true or false that the Great Khan's old illness had relapsed?

Fucha Zhen paused for a moment, stepped forward, and performed a deep bow according to custom, his movements appearing somewhat stiff.
"Reporting to Your Highness... this humble servant... this humble servant is incompetent and has failed in his duty... Marquis Luoyun is extremely arrogant! He... he refuses to talk! He wants to surround and kill us."

"what?!"

Hu Yanhan found it somewhat unbelievable; did Marquis Luo Yun really intend to perish together with the enemy?
"Not willing to talk? Fucha Zhen, is it that Marquis Luoyun is unwilling to talk, or that the bargaining chips you offered are not enough?"

This is quite different from the Han people in my impression. Marquis Luoyun is notorious for his greed and lust. Even Helian Chen frowned slightly, his gaze towards Huyan Han carrying a hint of contemplation, but it was fleeting. His attention remained focused on the subtle changes in Fucha Zhen's expression.

Duomin's face also darkened instantly, her fingers on the armrest curled slightly, her knuckles turned white, but her voice remained calm and unhurried:
"Why not talk about it? What did he say? Don't miss a single word."

Fucha Zhen took a deep breath and explained again.
"Your Highness, after my father and I went to Pingliao City, Marquis Luoyun set up his command tent in the government office. When we entered, I began to discuss the peace negotiations. Before I could even say two words, Marquis Luoyun became arrogant and domineering, giving me no chance to speak. He only replied that we should surrender. I could not bear the humiliation and had no choice but to turn back."

"You bastard! This is outrageous!"

Huyan Han was ultimately consumed by rage. The frustration of the past few days made his chest heave violently as he glared at Fucha Zhen.
"Lord Luoyun is an ignorant brat. In today's battle, the main force of our Jurchen warriors is still intact. Why should we be afraid of him? Why didn't you curse him back then?! You old codger, were you scared out of your wits by him?!"

“Huyan Han, what right do you have to curse here? Why don’t you go and do it yourself?”

Whether he had received the news or not, Guarjia, the banner chief of the Bordered Blue Banner, let out a cold snort, which drew a sharp look from Huyan Han.
"What do you mean by that?"

"What do you mean? You don't understand. If you can go and curse Marquis Luoyun, why are you cursing here? I think the Great Khan has been deceived by you. If it weren't for the envoy of the Han King Zheng from your tribe, this battle probably wouldn't have started."

With a single, soft remark, the tent erupted in an uproar!
Some tribal leaders were filled with disbelief. They knew nothing about these events or the details behind them. Suddenly, the crowd was agitated, and curses rang out. Moreover, the fact that they had not seen the Khan since their return had given them a bad feeling.

Upon seeing this, Na Risong immediately realized something was wrong and refuted it.
“Fucha Zhen, don’t make baseless accusations. There are no Han envoys here. I think you two have been avoiding battle. The camp has plenty of food and supplies. After a few days of rest, once the warriors have recovered their strength, they will surely be able to break out. You must not listen to slander.”

Despite Na Risong's rebuke and the skepticism of the tribal leaders within the tent, Fucha Zhen was not without reason. He knelt down with a thud, his voice trembling with sobs, as if he had suffered a grave injustice.

"Your Highness is wise! Commander Helian is wise!"

“Azig and I, father and son, went alone, loyal and devoted. How could we dare to speak nonsense? These words were spoken by Marquis Luoyun. When he was at the dock in Yunyang County, he heard a secret letter from General Mingwei saying that the envoy of the Prince of Zheng’s Mansion had crossed the sea to the Jurchens. After that, the various Jurchen tribes moved westward. No one would believe it if they heard it.”

As he spoke, he kowtowed heavily. Upon seeing this, Azig behind him immediately knelt down and echoed him.
“Your Highness, you are wise. My father and I do not believe this statement. However, Marquis Luoyun said that he has had conflicts with several princes in the pass. Now that he has returned, he will not easily withdraw his troops. Therefore, my father and I rushed back, fearing that Marquis Luoyun will lead his troops to attack tomorrow, and then we will not have much time to rest.”

The two men's words made everyone in the tent even more uneasy. Duomin's eyes were filled with doubt and his expression changed. He was already suspicious, and hearing these words made him feel like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat. Helian Chen, on the other hand, looked at Huyan Han. He knew about the Han envoys, but others did not. He had told the Great Khan about it, but the Great Khan told him to hold back. As for the others, they knew very little.

Duomin sat on the Khan's seat, staring intently at Fucha Zhen, his eyes shifting unpredictably. Helian Chen opened his mouth, but remembering that Huyan Han supported Prince Duomin, he could only remain silent.

"All right!"

Duomin finally spoke, her voice tinged with weariness and frustration.

"Gentlemen, with a formidable enemy at hand, do not lose your composure. Fucha Ejen has rendered great service and his loyalty is evident to all."

These words were somewhat forced, but at least they eased the tension temporarily and gave Huyan Han a way out.

"But since Marquis Luoyun has decided to besiege us, how long can our army's food and supplies... Commander Helian, hold out? If Marquis Luoyun leads his army to attack tomorrow, how many brave warriors of the Han Eight Banners will be available?"

That's the key point. Even if all those bondservants are dead, it's worth it as long as we can bring the Eight Banners warriors back.

Helian Chen bowed slightly, his voice icy:

"Your Highness, the grain and supplies are mostly burdened by siege equipment, and with the loss of a portion of the grain garrison in the previous attack, even with the best efforts, we can only manage to have enough for half a month at most."

I intended to talk for a few more days, but the large army in the camp and the places where the grain and fodder were stored were clearly visible and could not be faked.

"What?! Half a month?!"

Everyone gasped again. Half a month's worth of provisions, with hundreds of thousands of troops trapped in a valley and surrounded by powerful enemies, meant nothing less than that!

“My Lord, since the peace talks have failed, we have no choice but to retreat. After resting tonight, we will hold out for half a day tomorrow. Once Marquis Luoyun’s army is exhausted, we will lead our troops to launch a fierce attack on the valley entrance! We will open the passage, rush out, and after the ensuing battle, head straight for Yinzhou.”

Ma Jiali, the banner chief of the Plain White Banner, had no choice but to speak up: since the defense was impossible, the only option was to charge out and seek survival.

"But we still need to leave people to guard the Black Mountain Camp. Although we have Han Eight Banners available, we need Eight Banners warriors to assist in the defense. I wonder which banner leader is willing to stay?"

His eyes flickered, and his gaze lingered on Fucha Zhen. This time, it was clearly aimed at Hauge.

Guarjia, the banner chief of the Bordered Blue Banner, sneered.
“Since you brought it up, Ma Jiali, if I were to say, Huyan Han'ezhen is undoubtedly the best choice. When it comes to defending a city, no one can compare.”

The words were spoken first, taking the initiative and provoking Huyan Han. Just as Huyan Han was about to step forward, Na Risong grabbed his sleeve.
“Guarjia, this won’t do. The two Red Banners have many Jurchen cavalry. Tomorrow’s breakout will require Huyan Han’ezhen to lead the charge. I think that since Fucha Zhen’s troops have not lost any men, it would be better to leave the two Blue Banners’ troops behind to join the Han Eight Banners and guard the east and west valley entrances. What do you think?”

The true colors were revealed, and it was unclear what had gotten into Ma Jiali, whose attitude had changed drastically. Hauge's expression changed, and he was about to refute her when Duomin spoke up and asked.
"Fucha Zhen, what do you think?"

(End of this chapter)