Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 910: The Second King Asks to Lead the Army
In the Qianqing Palace,

The discussions of many court officials suddenly stopped, and they all lowered their heads and stood up. At the front, Dai Quan returned to Emperor Wu's side at some point and seemed to have just said something.

Looking at Su Chong's serious face, Emperor Wu was also thinking about it. It was a good idea to change the policy of providing relief to both the government and the people to solve the dilemma. As long as it could help the court get through the difficult times, it would be a great achievement.
"Lord Su, why do you want to reform the policy of providing relief and how can you resolve this dilemma?"

"Your Majesty, the fields in the south of the Yangtze River are all good and fertile fields. The court's policy is to convert the fields into mulberry trees. Now the floods have destroyed the grain. Why not let the rich gentry use their grain to buy the fields, and then have the disaster victims plant mulberry trees. When they are mature, the profits will be divided 40% and 60% like hired servants. This can not only solve the court's policy, but also allow the people to save themselves and save the court's expenses. Naturally, the dilemma will be solved."

What he said was quite clear, and at first glance, it was not bad, but he always felt something was wrong. Shen Zhongxin took a step forward, clasped his fists and questioned;

"Your Majesty, I think it is inappropriate. First of all, who are the wealthy gentry? How much is the price for purchasing grain from the land? How to ensure food for the victims? Finally, how to ensure that these lands can be taxed instead of being removed from the taxable land? Finally, what I want to say is that the chaos in the south of the capital is caused by the people's hearts and the corruption of officials. Can the stability of Jiangnan be guaranteed by a canal?"

Shen Zhongxin pointed out the crux of the problem in just a few words, especially the last sentence. A canal cannot be said to be a natural barrier. What if the White Lotus Sect sneaks into the victims? Emperor Wu was alert in his heart. What he said made sense. If things go wrong, the people will run out of food and their fields will be gone. How will the victims cope with the situation at that time? Once Jiangnan is in chaos, the whole country will be in turmoil.

"Lord Su, why?"

Su Chong's face flushed and he said loudly;

"Your Majesty, the wealthy families and gentry already have surplus grain. We should calculate it according to the pre-disaster price and let the government guarantee it to stabilize people's hearts. We need to do things quickly to not give time to those who have ulterior motives. In addition, we need someone to stay in charge to ensure the stability of Jiangnan. The specifics need to be discussed in detail."

"Okay, that's a solution. In that case, Lord Lu, you were the one who proposed this. Since Su Chong has the talent, let him go to Jiangnan to serve as the Supervisory Commissioner. Let him first provide disaster relief and comfort the victims. As for who will take charge, we can discuss it later."

Emperor Wu moved his mouth and selected the people first. Without giving the civil servants a chance to speak, he turned his head to the military merit row and looked at Beijing Prince Shui Rong and Dongping Prince Mu Shi. It was still unknown how these two had intervened in the south.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will obey your order."

Lu Wenshan stepped out and bowed again, and the matter was settled.

Shen Zhongxin wanted to ask more, but was stopped by Gu Yichen's eyes. He endured it again. He didn't know what the teacher meant. He was a little confused about today's court meeting.

"The matter in Jiangnan is the least serious, so let's put it aside. Then there is the situation of Prince Teng's troops in the south of the capital, who defeated Daliang City. I wonder if the Minister of War, Zhao Aiqing, has any suggestions?"

The gathering of the palace army was the strategy of Lord Zhao from the Ministry of War. Now that they have suffered a disastrous defeat, no one knows how it will end. Although Emperor Wu has made a strategy and already knew that this battle between Wang Ziteng and Wang Ziteng would be difficult, he still feels unwilling to accept the fact that he has really lost. How could a group of rioters do that?

Inside the palace,

Zhao Jingwu, the Minister of War, seemed to have expected this and walked slowly to the center of the hall and knelt down;

"Your Majesty, I am an old minister who failed to notice. The Taiping Sect's method of fighting this time is the same as the White Lotus Sect's method of attacking the city. They used the common people as slaves and drove them away desperately, consuming the imperial army. Then, they used their elite followers to attack the exhausted imperial army by surprise. How could they not be defeated? Since Daliang City is still there, the Central Plains is safe. We should immediately select a general and lead the troops south. We must have enough troops."

This is what Lord Zhao wanted to say. Since the enemy army won by numbers, the imperial court only needed to have more soldiers and retain the best troops to fight against them. The tactics of the Taiping Sect would be defeated. This statement made all the court officials nod their heads. Many old officials knew what the White Lotus Sect was like. Although they were feared by the world in the past, as long as the imperial court found the right way to defeat the enemy, they would not be a problem.
However, who will be the general, who can command the troops, and whether Runan City can be saved are all difficult problems. Many civil officials frowned and discussed in a low voice. In a war, it is the military officials who command the troops. In this case, how can the civil officials suppress them in the future?

The three princes also had some surprises, but when they thought of what was said behind the scenes, they all kept silent. Just as everyone in the hall was whispering, the eyes of Dongping Wang Mu Shi flickered. The time had come, and he should recommend himself. No matter what, as long as he went to Jiangnan, many things would be easier to do. So he stood up and praised;

"Well said, Your Majesty. I am not a talented person, but I am willing to lead the troops to Runan to meet the leader of the White Lotus Sect to see if the White Lotus Sect is real or just a group of thieves who are pretending to be famous. I will definitely capture them for Your Majesty and live up to your grace."

These words were sonorous and powerful, but the person who spoke was Dongping Wang Mu Shi, and the whole hall suddenly fell silent. Dong Wang was the first to be reduced to a fiefdom, and it had been more than ten years. Now he volunteered to lead the army. Could it be that he wanted to get his hands on the military power?

In a flash,

Several elders became wary, and Elder Zhao immediately stood up and refuted;
"Your Majesty, although Runan City is a major road crossing, the hilly area to the north and the canal to the east block the way. We only need to send two generals to lead the troops to block the way.
Going north to Shizhou, Wei Xiangping can lead troops to block it there, and on the east bank of the canal, the commander of the Jiangnan camp will lead troops to garrison Tang County and wait for an opportunity to act. There is no need for Your Majesty to go there in person."

Zhao Jingwu briefly introduced himself and solved the issue of commanding the troops in a few words. He just didn't want to hand over the military affairs to a king of the opposite sex. However, he didn't know that after the King of Dongping spoke first, the King of Beijing Shui Rong regretted it. He had only so much meat, so he naturally had the upper hand when he spoke first. In this case, he naturally didn't want to fall behind someone, so he also stood up and clasped his fists and said;

"Your Majesty, I think the White Lotus Sect in Runan is very powerful. If Wei Xiangping really can't hold it, it means that no matter whether the bandits here are from the White Lotus Sect or not, they should not be underestimated. The disaster in the south of the Yangtze River is just around the corner. There are many bandits in Xihe County who don't listen to education, which is even more of a hidden danger. I am not talented, but I am willing to lead the troops to Xihe County and cooperate with Governor Wei to defend this place."

The words were clever, and he didn't mention defeating the enemy. The battlefield is dangerous, and the White Lotus Sect is not made of clay. It shouldn't be difficult for them to defend Xihe County. As for defeating the enemy, he had never been to the battlefield after all, so he had no idea.

Not to mention others, even Zhang Jinyu had something strange in his eyes. Two kings with different surnames were so active that even a fool could see that there was something wrong. The key point was that Xihe County was mountainous and remote, easy to defend but difficult to attack, and there were many bandits. What was King Beijing thinking when he led his troops to fight there?

The choice of Prince Dongping is safe. He will lead the Jiangnan camp and wait for an opportunity to act. It is unknown when he will act. The most important thing is that the canal is a natural barrier. As long as the guards of the Caoyun Yamen block the canal, even birds cannot fly over. In Tang County, it is nothing more than sitting back and watching the wind and clouds. Anyone would be willing to live this life.

Zhang Jinyu could think of it, and the civil officials all understood it. Gu Yichen smiled slightly and asked;

"It is rare for the two princes to be so loyal. However, Runan City is a battleground. If Runan City is really lost, I wonder how likely the two princes are to take it back."

This is the main thing. Everyone can command troops and hide behind. Since you want to command troops, you should do something. These words are both forced and give a way out. Even the two princes are a little hesitant. Now all of Beijing and the south have fallen into the hands of thieves, and the east and the west are connected. If Runan City is lost, the walls are high and the city is strong. It is impossible to win by one's own strength. Even if they join forces, the victory or defeat is still unknown, unless the Jiangnan camp moves forward and enters Xihe County.

The two princes didn't know what the other was thinking and were reluctant to speak. The civil officials were relieved, but the Emperor Wu on the dragon throne had a mysterious expression and stared at the two princes. It was unknown what he was thinking.
Just as everyone was silent, the Prime Minister Li Chonghou, who was sitting in the front row, suddenly coughed twice and said;

"Your Majesty, I think it is a very safe idea for the two princes to go to Xihe County, and for Tang County to take charge, ahem."

Two more coughs attracted the attention of all the court officials, especially the civil officials. Many officials frowned and many were eager to try.

Emperor Wu came back to his senses, looked at Prime Minister Li steadily, and asked expressionlessly;
"I wonder what Prime Minister Li thinks?" Li Chonghou held his son's arm with his hand, stood up tremblingly, bowed to Emperor Wu on the dragon throne, and returned home.

"Your Majesty, regardless of whether the White Lotus thieves are real or not, I believe that Wei Xiangping would not ask for help unless he had no other choice. Since he asked the court for help, it must be a very critical moment. Runan City cannot be defended, but according to his personality, he will definitely break through to Shizhou in Xihe County to guard the gate tightly.
But how can we defend the mess of Xihe County? As for Tang County in the south of the Yangtze River, although it has natural barriers, it is also unable to cross the canal. Therefore, we still need the cooperation of the two princes to recapture Runan. However, this matter is only secondary. The first priority is to defend the natural barriers of the canal and Xihe County. Your Majesty, Xihe County does not have enough soldiers, cough cough. "

This explanation shocked all the officials in the palace. Many people simply did not believe that the White Lotus Sect could go north to Xihe County to threaten the important capital. This seemed possible, especially since the mess in Xihe County was well known among the civil servants. Their faces suddenly changed.

Emperor Wu weighed the pros and cons in his mind, and was still angry, but had no place to vent it. The key still lay in Jingnan and the main force of the Taiping Sect. He turned his head to look at Wu Xun, and saw Marquis Luo Yun said nothing, as he was afraid.

There are still some unspeakable secrets.

"Lou Yunhou, what do you think?"

Zhang Jinyu was suddenly asked, and was startled, as if he hadn't thought it through yet, but he had a preliminary strategy. According to today's court meeting, there were not one opponent, but two, the Taiping Sect and the White Lotus Sect. No matter what, they were two groups of people. It would be a lie to say that there was no connection between them. Therefore, it was safer to cooperate with one in the east and one in the west.

War is a matter of great importance to a state, a matter of life and death, the road to survival or destruction, and it must be carefully considered.

He stepped out of the line, clasped his fists and said;

"Your Majesty, I agree with the Prime Minister's point of view. The chaos in the south of the capital has reached such a level, and the White Lotus sect has appeared again. No one would believe that they have no connection. After the loss of Linshan County and Runan City, one in the east and one in the west will form a separatist trend. There are two opponents. I can only lead the army to one side, and someone is needed to lead the troops to block the other side. The east and the west work together, so whether Xihe County in the east can be defended is also the key. In addition, the safety of Tang County is related to Jiangnan, and there is no room for error."

Zhang Jinyu suddenly raised his head, looked at the ministers around him, and knelt down in front of the dragon throne.

"I have received great favor from the Emperor. Now that the imperial court is in trouble, I will never back down. Since the main force of the rebel army is still attacking Daliang City, the main battle is still in Linshan County. I will lead the troops south to fight the rebel army to the death and recover the lost territory. We cannot give the rebel army time to catch its breath, otherwise it will be difficult to shake off its tail and strangle it. At the very least, we must eat up its main force and eliminate its threat."

He didn't say much, but his words sounded heavy. All the civil and military officials then realized that the court had reached a critical moment. Even Dongping Prince Mu Shi and Beijing Prince Shui Rong were a little hesitant. They wondered if they were too reckless. It seemed that the White Lotus Sect was not made of clay. The two Dukes Ning and Rong were almost trapped in it. Now the two of them volunteered. Although they had a plan, it was the first time for them to fight with real swords and guns. They even had a trace of hesitation in their hearts.

"Okay, well said, Marquis Luo Yun, this time when we go south, I will make a voluntary decision and you will lead the troops. As for Xihe County, Prince Beijing Shui Rong, you will be responsible for leading the Xihe County government troops to stop the White Lotus rebels from Runan from going north. Prince Dongping Mu Shi, hold the canal defense line of Tang County and never let the White Lotus cross the canal. Also, send a part of the troops to Xihe County to reinforce Wei Xiangping. We must not lose the gate of Shizhou again."

Emperor Wu pondered for a moment, and ignored the opinions of the courtiers. He made a dictatorial decision and gave the three men the power to command the army. After more than ten years, Emperor Wu actually gave in, which shocked many civil officials. Many officials tried to persuade him several times, but Emperor Wu spoke again.
"The chaos in the south of the capital this time is caused by the people's hearts and the corruption of officials. All the officials in the south of the capital are guilty. Now the two religious bandits are rampant. They need to be suppressed with the power of thunder and lightning. We cannot be negligent."

After hearing this, Zhang Jinyu and the two princes immediately stepped out and responded;
"I am willing to share your Majesty's worries."

The overall situation has been decided. It doesn't matter if the court officials are unwilling to accept it. However, it still needs to be discussed where to bring more troops. As the Minister of War, Zhao Ge Lao took the responsibility and asked;
"Your Majesty, now that you have decided on the commander of the army, I would like to ask how to mobilize the troops?"

What was asked was how to deploy troops, which was actually where the troops would come from. The Anhu camp of the Beijing camp had 350,000 infantry, 80,000 cavalry, and 20,000 naval forces. 40,000 cavalry were taken away by Wang Ziteng, leaving only 40,000 cavalry. Troops could only be deployed from the Beijing camp, and the more than 300,000 imperial guards had never been moved.

"Yeah, where do the soldiers come from?"

"Should we mobilize all the troops from the Beijing camp? This..."

Civil and military officials were discussing the matter, and even several old dukes looked solemn, not to mention the earls, marquises, and sons of the nobles in the capital. They were all there, and could be said to be the real "Beijing Lords."

Going south to fight a favorable battle is not a problem. In this kind of war, there will be many casualties. Everyone is worried. The two princes seem to know something. Looking back, they see that the military heroes are pale and are worried about how their own children can play their combat effectiveness. They feel cold in their hearts. The soldiers of the Beijing camp cannot be used. After changing their minds, Dongping County Prince Mu Shi bowed again.
"Your Majesty, I can send 30,000 troops to support Governor Wei after I go to Tang County. However, I will need the help of the guards of the Canal Transport Office to defend the canal. Please grant me your approval."

"But, Prince Beijing, what do you need?"

Emperor Wu nodded. To defend the Grand Canal, they had to rely on the navy. Fortunately, Marquis Luo Yun had assembled the navy and they could be used.
Beijing King Shui Rong, after hearing what Mu Shi said, after all this time, you are still staying in Tang County. Thirty thousand soldiers and horses may not be enough. I don't know how many soldiers from the Beijing camp can be brought over. Xihe County cannot mobilize a large army, so it is necessary to use elite soldiers and horses. Thinking of this, the soldiers from Ping'anzhou can be used.
"Your Majesty, I would like to request that the 20,000 troops from the Ping'anzhou army in the north be mobilized to the south to reorganize the troops from the Xihe County. Together with the 30,000 troops from the Jiangnan camp, it should not be difficult to defend Shizhou."

Shui Rong thought again and again. With 50,000 elite soldiers and horses, plus a group of government troops and the recruitment of young and strong men, defending the city should be a piece of cake. After all, Wei Xiangping is the governor, and how he leads the troops still depends on the military merit general.

When Emperor Wu heard this, he thought of Qi Yun, the governor of Ping'an Island, who was also a veteran of the Northern Palace and had fought in tough battles. It's just that he hasn't used weapons for a long time, so he might be slack. As for Shui Rong's thoughts, they were understandable. War is dangerous, but with these 20,000 soldiers and horses, he could still save his life.

"Okay, in that case, the Ministry of War will issue an order to call upon Qi Yun, the governor of Ping'an Province, to send 20,000 troops south to obey the orders of Prince Beijing."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Shui Rong was overjoyed and felt relieved in his heart. As long as he had these 20,000 elite soldiers accompanying him, he could save his life even in danger. As for the battle of Shizhou in the south, he would let Qi Yun be the commander. In addition, the Jiangnan camp could still gather 60,000 soldiers. It would be best for him to stay in the rear and supervise the supply of food, fodder, and military pay.

After discussing the two princes' affairs, only Luo Yunhou's main force was left. The focus in the hall was on Luo Yunhou again. Emperor Wu tried to ask;

"Lord Luo Yun, I want to ask you how many troops do you need to move south to stabilize the situation."

Although the question was asked in a tactful way, saying to stabilize it, but not to completely wipe it out, Zhang Jinyu curled his lips in his heart, of course the more soldiers the better, but he didn't know whether Emperor Wu dared to give them.

"Your Majesty, all the ministers, the Taiping Sect's fighting style is simple and difficult at the same time. It is to suppress them with numbers. I need more than 300,000 infantry from the Anhu Camp of the Beijing Camp, 50,000 to stay behind, and more than 40,000 cavalry. In addition, I request to transfer 50,000 elite troops from the Right Guard of the Imperial Guard, and 10,000 elite cavalry from outside the Great Wall. In addition, there are more than 30,000 remnants of General Gu Ping of the Capital South, and the remnants of the Daliang City. The total number of infantry and cavalry is about 500,000, but it can be claimed to be 200,000. I want all of them."

Zhang Jinyu stood up and made a huge promise without hesitation, so that all the court officials in the Qianqing Palace gasped. Even the cabinet elders and the three princes were stunned. The army of nearly 500,000 people almost emptied the available troops of the entire court. If there was any treason, the Dawu Dynasty would be in danger.

In an instant, the entire Qianqing Palace was so quiet that one could hear the sound of falling leaves. No one dared to even breathe. Even on the side of military honors, many old dukes' mouths twitched slightly, but it was only a movement after all.

(End of this chapter)