Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 911: I am willing to lead the troops south
In the Qianqing Palace,

The incense burner in the main hall was filled with fine ambergris, which refreshed the mind and showed the royal nobility.

But at this moment,
The entire court, civil and military officials, seemed to be afraid of something and kept silent. Not to mention the entire army of the Beijing camp, the left and right guards of the imperial guards were the confidants of the retired emperor. Marquis Luo Yun wanted to mobilize the 50,000 troops of the imperial guards and Xiao Cheng, which inevitably made people think more. It was hard to guess whether it was His Majesty's instruction or Marquis Luo Yun's own idea.

The corner of the Prime Minister Li Chonghou's eyes moved, and a gleam of light flashed in his eyes. Luo Yunhou was so blunt, he must have discussed it with His Majesty in advance. The commander of the Right Guard of the Imperial Army and Xiaocheng, it's good to move this time, and coughed twice casually, which was particularly harsh in the silent hall;
"Ahem, Your Majesty, I have a few questions for Marquis Luo Yun."

"You can ask the Prime Minister."

Emperor Wu was undecided at this time. It was fine to say that he would need 200,000 or 300,000 troops, but now that he really needed so many troops, he hesitated in his heart and wanted to see what Prime Minister Li would say.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, Lord. Please allow me to ask you a few more questions."

"Please feel free to ask, sir,"

Zhang Jinyu didn't care. It didn't matter if he had more or fewer soldiers. A few hundred thousand or eighty thousand less was not a bad idea. But some things needed to be tested. Did the civil and military officials, and even the emperor, really trust him to lead the army to the battle? If he was restrained in every way, even a god wouldn't be able to win this battle.
There is also the reaction of Wu Xun, if it fails, the soldiers of the Beijing camp are just a mere decoration. The reason why 50,000 soldiers were left behind is to reserve them for those who do not want to go to the battlefield. It is like opening a back door. I think Wu Xun should understand this.

If you don't understand, don't explain it.
"Well, in that case, I would like to ask you, Lord Marquis, are you sure of victory with so many soldiers?"

This is the key point. The south of Beijing has been corrupt until now, and the court is helpless. Now that Luo Yunhou has taken on this important task, the court should be very happy, but they are afraid that it will not be able to achieve their wish.
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, in war, we must do our best. Even a lion will use all its strength to fight a rabbit, let alone the military affairs of the court. I can only say that I will do my best. I also hope that the two princes, the North King and the East King, will lead their troops to contain the White Lotus bandits and buy time for me."

Zhang Jinyu was not really arrogant. Instead, he cautiously raised some suggestions. After all, Zhang Jinyu had never seen what the people of the two sects were like, how strong they were, or how many troops they had. They were all flesh and blood, so who could really do their best?

Prime Minister Li Chonghou narrowed his eyes and looked at Marquis Luo Yun carefully, not knowing whether what he said was true or false. The other officials in the hall were also shocked. Even Marquis Luo Yun could not guarantee to win, this was impossible.

"Okay, second question. From ancient times to the present, it has been said that if you send out more than 100,000 soldiers, you can claim to have an army of one million to intimidate the enemy. Why did you do the opposite?"

This was something that the Prime Minister did not understand. Now that the imperial army had been defeated and needed to boost morale, why did they do the opposite?

Others don't understand this, but Zhang Jinyu does have an idea. As long as they can capture the main force of the Taiping Sect and defeat them in one battle, inflicting heavy damage on the enemy, the rest of the battle will be easier to fight.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, since it is just a title, it is all imaginary. I am doing the opposite to create a time difference. These evil cult villains are not slow in smuggling. If we are discovered quickly by them, I am afraid they will run away. Therefore, I will leave 50,000 soldiers in the Anhu camp to raise more flags outside and conduct regular drills to confuse the spies in the capital."

"Well said, Marquis Luo Yun is really amazing at using troops. That being the case, I have one last question. What if we find out that there is someone supporting the Taiping Sect?"

After the Prime Minister Li Chonghou finished praising, he asked another sharp question: Who would provide support from behind?

All the court officials were silent. There were many things they could do but could not say. Even Emperor Wu had already guessed that without support, where would all the money, food, and weapons come from? The weapons in the treasury were not enough. However, the people who supported behind the scenes were either one person or a group of people.

Zhang Jinyu raised his head and looked at Prime Minister Li. This old man should not be underestimated. His questions were tricky, but he also knew that this question was also what the court officials and the emperor wanted to ask, so his answer just needed to be clear and fair. As for the person behind the scenes, it could be the prince of Guannei, or the Prince of Dongping and the Prince of Beijing. The most likely person was the former crown prince. If he met him, he would meet him, but he would never meet the real boss. On the battlefield, it was only a matter of life and death.
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, when you lead troops into battle, it's a matter of life or death. There's no point in saying anything else. You should just do your best."

"Okay, okay, Marquis Luo Yun, I remember what you said. One last question. If you are going to send troops, when will they be sent?"

This was the last question. Li Chonghou still had the same expression as before, but only Zhang Jinyu could see the aura in his eyes.
"There is no time to lose. Time is precious. Your Majesty, Prime Minister, we must dispatch troops immediately without delay!"

The courtiers were startled.
So fast.

"Are we too anxious? How can we replenish our military equipment and food supplies?"

"Yes, we haven't figured out the enemy's movements yet. If we send troops rashly, what will happen?"

"Shouldn't we make some more preparations?"

As the court officials were discussing quietly, the few princes who stayed in the front were frightened. The eldest prince, Prince Jin Zhou Ding, stepped out and shouted loudly;

"Your Majesty, I am willing to go to war with Marquis Luo Yun and share your worries."

Seeing that their eldest brother had already stepped out, the second prince, Wei Wang Zhou Chong, and the third prince, Chu Wang Zhou Long, also stepped out at the same time and shouted;
"Father, I am willing to go to war with Marquis Luo Yun and share your worries."

Only three shouts quieted down the discussion of the court officials in the hall. They all looked at the three princes with suspicious eyes. Obviously, the words of the three princes were very abrupt. Many people changed their minds, thinking that the three princes had already started to build palaces and compete for the position of crown prince. They were unwilling to fall behind. Perhaps, the opportunity was right in front of them. After all, they had ignored the movements of the three princes in the past. It was not too late to react now.
Emperor Wu's expression changed slightly. Seeing the loyal expressions of the three of them, he realized that they were kind to their children after all. Perhaps there was a way to have the best of both worlds, such as having a military supervisor.

"It's rare that you three are so filial. Military affairs are different from political affairs. Swords have no eyes. Are you afraid?"

"Father, I am not afraid,"

The three of them spoke in unison, and the court officials kept silent. His Majesty has three princes, and now they are beginning to show their talents, which is also a gratifying sign, but if they really want to go, they will be in the rear, and they still need to make good preparations.
Emperor Wu narrowed his eyes, perhaps making up his mind, and nodded.
"Okay, since the three of you have this idea, I agree, but you cannot go to the same place. The King of Jin will follow Marquis Luo Yun, the King of Wei will follow Prince Beijing, and the King of Chu will follow Prince Dongping. They will each serve as military supervisors. In addition, from the Southern Pacification Office, each of them will send a thousand guards from the Imperial City Office to escort them. Lu Wenshan, send three more deputies to examine the local officials. Do you have any candidates for censors?"

He orally stated the imperial decree and finally assigned deputies to each of the three persons for their convenience. Lu Wenshan knew the Emperor's intention and said, "It is not necessary to avoid relatives when selecting talents." He quickly blurted out,

"Your Majesty, we have selected the candidates for the old ministers. The censors Yan Cong, Cao Guangzheng, and Zeng Zheng can be assigned to the left and right."

"Okay, since that's the case, Yan Cong will follow the King of Jin, Cao Guangzheng will follow the King of Wei, and Zeng Zheng will follow the King of Chu. In addition, Marquis Luo Yun will lead the troops of the Beijing camp, plus the troops of the Right Guard of the Imperial Army. The Ministry of Works will be ordered to transfer craftsmen and siege equipment, and grant the Imperial Sword. Anyone below the second rank can be executed. Prince Beijing Shui Rong will be appointed as the military governor of Xihe County, commanding all the troops of Xihe County to stop the enemy. Prince Dongping Mu Shi will be appointed as the military governor of Tang County, commanding all the troops and the Jiangnan camp to defend the front line of the canal and wait for an opportunity to retake Runan City. Dispatch troops immediately, don't delay. Use the official warehouse of the Ministry of Finance to supply food and silver!"

Since he had made up his mind, Emperor Wu did not hesitate at all and immediately appointed three people to set off immediately. This also shocked all the civil and military officials in the court. His Majesty did not even inform Changle Palace this time. Although they thought a lot in an instant, they all bowed in admiration.
"Retreat!"

Dai Quan's shrill voice rang out, and the court officials suddenly woke up. However, Emperor Wu had already disappeared.

Many people still had doubts, but many officials in the capital stared at the three censors behind them with envy.
Inside the palace, Yan Cong, Zeng Zheng, and Cao Guangzheng were also somewhat dazed, not knowing whether this move would be a blessing or a curse. However, the three of them understood that the emperor had given the order, so how could they refuse? They could only obey his orders.
Zhang Jinyu saw that everyone was still not leaving, and he had no time to waste, so he walked up to the three princes and said;

"Your Highnesses, please return to your residence immediately and pack your bags. Your Highness the Prince of Jin will meet you at the South City Gate later. When you leave, you must bring all the imperial guards with you. The same goes for the three ladies, who will be responsible for taking care of your Highnesses' daily life. Please hurry."

"Yes, Lord," the three princes nodded, and looked at Beijing Prince Shui Rong and Dongping Prince Mu Shi. The two had bitter smiles on their faces. They really didn't expect the emperor to do this. If he brought the two princes with him, I'm afraid this battle would be difficult to fight. Perhaps seeing that the two princes were unwilling, Zhang Jinyu smiled, reminded them, and clasped his fists.
"My two princes, since the emperor has given the order, we naturally cannot delay. The safety of the two highnesses, the King of Wei and the King of Chu, is the most important. They must not go to the front line. It is better to supervise the food and military equipment in the county city. What do you think?"

"My Lord, you have thought it through thoroughly. I agree with you!"

Prince Beijing Shui Rong immediately understood the meaning. It was a good idea to put the prince in the county city at the rear, where he would have plenty of food, drink and fun. Naturally, he would not go to the front. Prince Dongping Mu Shi smiled and clasped his fists in return.

"Thank you for your reminder, Lord. This is a very good idea. Tang County in the south of the Yangtze River is a land of fish and rice. It is indeed a good place."

With a veiled response, he had almost instantly decided where the King of Chu was going. Tangjun County was a lively place, and the prince probably had plenty of places to play. The rest was just a matter of seeing what was in front of him.
"Okay, in that case, my two princes, I have another request. When we arrive in Xihe County, please organize an army as soon as possible to hold back the main force of the White Lotus Sect and prevent them from returning to help. This will buy time for me."

Zhang Jinyu actually had no idea about this. He knew nothing about the enemy's abilities. To be safe, he let them drag along a portion of the main force. Even if the enemy army came back to help, he would have been in too much time and it would be useless for him to come back.
However, Zhang Jinyu's words made the two princes change their expressions. They changed from "this marquis" to "your subordinates". It was a tone of begging. Could it be that Marquis Luo Yun also had no confidence? Shui Rong calmed down secretly and asked tactfully;
"My Lord, please give me a definite answer. How confident are you that we can go south this time?"

Zhang Jinyu opened his mouth, looked at the two princes with slightly worried eyes, and smiled;
"Your Highness, the battlefield is ever-changing, how can we really determine the winner? At the beginning, the odds were 50-50, but this time it's 30-70. If Your Highness can hold back the main force of the White Lotus Rebellion, then you have a 90% chance of winning. But if there is someone else behind the rebel army, your chance of winning is only 80%."

This can be regarded as Zhang Jinyu's encouragement to the two. It is hard to tell whether it is true or false. Dongping Wang Mu Shi immediately took over the conversation.

"Okay, since the Marquis is sincere, I can't help but express my opinion. Within five days, take the guards' ship to Tang County and immediately organize 30,000 troops from the Jiangnan camp to rescue Shizhou. Brother Shui must also act quickly, as it will take at least eight days to mobilize troops from the north. Therefore, the 20,000 troops in Xihe County can also be used to defend the city. Later, we can recruit young and strong men to form a new army to supplement it."

The originally promised reinforcements were 20,000, but now they have become 30,000. It can be seen that Prince Mu is concerned about this, and Shui Rong has to express his opinion.
"Brother Mu and Brother Jin Yu, rest assured that Shizhou will not be destroyed. When I arrive in Xihe County, I will immediately organize my army and march south. Since Runan City has been captured by the White Lotus Sect, it is impossible to give it up. Therefore, it is enough to hold back most of the main force."

Seeing that both of them agreed, Zhang Jinyu really thanked them and bowed;
"Thank you, my Lords. Time is running out. We will leave immediately."

"it is good."

After the discussion, they left with serious expressions. When they arrived at the gate of the Qianqing Palace, they saw Yan Cong and the other two still waiting. Zhang Jinyu casually ordered,

"The three of you go back and pack your things, then wait at the three kings' palaces and leave together. You don't need to bring too many things, but bring some medicine for your injuries."

"Thank you, Lord."

After the three of them thanked him, they left quickly. Zhang Jinyu didn't wait for them and ran out of the palace in a hurry, still thinking about going back home to say goodbye to his mother.

It was at this time,
The Hall of Nourishing Heart,
In the imperial study room,

Emperor Wu hurried back and sat on the dragon throne, frowning as he looked at the geomancy map on the shadow of the east wall. The main battlefield was still on the side of Marquis Luo Yun, but the natural barriers of Xihe County and the Grand Canal must be ensured.

"Dai Quan, pass on the oral order and let the Imperial City Sinan Pacification Division be responsible for the transmission of intelligence between the three places, and the guards must ensure the safety of the three princes."

"Yes. Your Majesty, I have already sent someone to pass on the order and called in the best fighters in the Imperial City. Each of the three princes will have a captain to follow them closely and protect them at all times. If there is an enemy, they can kill them first and report later."

Dai Quan's eyes were sharp, this arrangement was also planned by him in a short time. Prince Jin followed Marquis Luo Yun and was followed by Captain Ji. Prince Wei was in Xihe County where there were many bandits, so Captain Liu was transferred to his side. As for Prince Chu, he was in Tang County, so Captain Feng was protecting him. After all, this man had been to Jiangnan many times and knew a little about it. Such an arrangement, coupled with the escort of a large number of personal soldiers, would be foolproof.

"Okay, go and make the arrangements. You go there in person."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I am leaving now."

Dai Quan responded, bowed and left, leaving Emperor Wu alone, sitting there quietly with a thoughtful look on his face.
"Quick, take everything with you, and march into the city with your entire army. Go!"

At the East Gate,

Duan Hong held the order in his hand and rode his horse to urge more than 10,000 elite cavalrymen in heavy armor to enter the city. Not only did they parade through the streets, but the people in the city were eager to see the excitement and came one after another, looking out.

After a while,
At the end of the street, there was a dull sound of horse hooves, like thunder in the sky. A long team of people wearing black armor and emitting a cold murderous aura passed through the street like a black beast.
As the cavalry marched forward in greater numbers, the people on the street stretched their heads out to watch and talk about what was happening. Many students in the taverns also stretched their heads out to watch from the windows. The windows on the second floor of Zuixianlou were already crowded with people from the three major academies in Jiangnan.
Seeing the cavalrymen entering the city and heading south, they all felt a little unbelievable. How could foreign troops enter the capital so blatantly? Many students from the academy whispered,

"Brother Zhuang, Marquis Luo Yun's elite cavalry entered the capital. What's going on?"

Lan Xinwen was somewhat puzzled. It was a coincidence that after the poetry competition, the two poems written by the eldest son and Luo Yunhou were the best. The rest of the people could only write poems casually and drink and chat. It was a sluggish performance. The poetry competition did not have a ranking in the end, but it was clear who wrote well. The scholars of the world judged that Luo Yunhou's poems were the best in the world, and the eldest son's poems were the best in the world.
Moreover, one of them is a scholar and the other is a martial artist, and no one knows who spread the story first. It is said that with these two people, one scholar and one martial artist, the literary can pacify the world, and the martial arts can determine the outcome of the world. Although it seems like a joke in private, it is not known that scholars like this the most. Even the scholars who are taking the imperial examinations and the people from the six major academies are spreading the story.

"People say that the emperor relied on the eldest son Li Chaosheng for civil affairs and the Marquis of Luo Yun for military affairs to pacify the world. This urgent report from the capital must not be good news. If this is the case, how can the court not use Marquis Luo Yun?"

Zhuang Xiaoyi had a rare chance to stand there quietly, and replied quietly, thinking of the wonderful capital city and the turmoil in the world caused by the current situation. This was proof that Jiangnan was in a remote corner and the three major academies had fallen behind. Even if the influence of civil officials was great, they still needed to rely on military generals. This was an unchanging truth, especially in today's situation, when literati were the most useless.

"Ahaha, Brother Zhuang is really insightful. The passenger ship leaving Beijing via the canal is ready now. We are going back to Jiangnan soon. We don't know when we will be back."

Xu Rentao also sighed. It was a place of trouble, so it was better to leave early. Although Jiangnan was a remote place, it was stable and had the natural barrier of the canal. As long as there was no trouble in the Central Plains, there would be no trouble in Jiangnan.

It is not their turn to take charge of major world events.

"Yes, I don't know when I will be back. My two brothers, Runan City is too close to Tang County. The safety of Jiangnan depends on the Jiangnan Camp. I hope that Governor Wei can hold on."

Lan Xinwen always had a bad feeling in his heart. Perhaps Jiangnan, which had been peaceful for a long time, would never be stable again. He threw the thought out in a daze. How could it be possible?
moment,

Towards Miyagi,

In the imperial army camp, the sound of sad horns was immediately heard.

"Ohh Ohh ohh!"

As if it was pre-planned, the sentinels of the elite cavalry team outside the pass below also picked up the horn and blew it.
For a moment, the desolate and sad sound of the horn spread throughout the capital.
(End of this chapter)