Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 913: Luo Yunhou Leaves South City
Luoyunhou Mansion,

In the main hall, the carved pear wood door was not closed. As the breeze blew, the door swayed, making a crisp yet slightly dull sound that slowly entered the house.

Wang sat upright in the main seat, sipping her tea. What she just said was also an explanation. Marching and fighting is hard work, and it is very inconvenient without personal care. Lan Yue'er seemed to have known about this for a long time. She came out from the inner room in men's clothes and carrying a bag. Zhang Jinyu's eyelids jumped when she saw this.
How can you bring women with you on a march to war? Ahem, of course, it would be good if you could stay with them. While hesitating, he looked at Qin Keqing and Yang Hanyu, with worry in their eyes. He couldn't bear it.
"Listen to mother, it's good for Lan Yue'er to come along, it will save a lot of trouble. I don't know how long it will take to go south this time, so please take care of the family. Mother, your son is leaving."

These words were spoken to Qin Keqing, but Qin Keqing's beautiful face turned red with both eyes, and she nodded in response;
"Don't worry, my dear, I will take care of you."

Zhang Jinyu nodded, clasped his fists, picked up his bag, put it on his back, turned around and left. Lan Yue'er followed behind him, nodded secretly to Lan Shu'er, and followed him.

Outside the house,

Ningbian had already gathered his personal soldiers to wait for him. Zhang Jinyu climbed onto his horse and followed the two carriages. He threw the package into the carriage. When he saw Lan Yue board the carriage, he whipped his horse whip and ran to the South Gate.

"Go, hurry to Anhu Camp,"

"Yes, Lord Marquis, drive."

As the army moved, the sky collapsed and the earth cracked. The entire capital seemed to be shaking. Many people may have noticed something and hurried home, closing their doors. Even the shops on the street were less open.
The South City Gate had already been under martial law, and the 50,000-strong Imperial Army had slowly left the city. The cavalry outside the Luo Yun Marquis's mansion had already stopped outside the Anhu camp, waiting for Luo Yun Marquis's arrival.

On the South City Gate, He Yongxi, the commander of the Military Affairs Department, Fu Yuncheng, the deputy governor of the Military Affairs Department of the South City, and Han Ling, the city gate guard, stood on the tower together, watching the army slowly marching out of the city, their faces all looked somewhat solemn.
"Sir He, with so many troops gathered, could it be that the hundreds of thousands of troops under General Wang Jie in the south were all defeated?"

The person who said this was Fu Yuancheng. He simply didn't believe it. How could they be defeated just in the blink of an eye in just a dozen days? Besides, they still had two powerful generals, General He Yonghe of Sizhou and General Hu Lehu of Hongnong. How could they be defeated? The governor of Daliang City, Lü Daiyuan, was an old general. No matter what, he couldn't be defeated like this.
"Yes, I don't believe it either, but we have lost, so why should we ask so many questions? It seems that there is a master behind the Taiping Sect. I wonder if Marquis Luo Yun can go south smoothly this time."

He Yong sighed secretly. Since the imperial court could directly appoint Luo Yunhou, it meant that the war in the south was dangerous.
"It should be fine. The entire army of the capital is now under the command of Marquis Luo Yun. The number of people is greater than that of the Taiping Jiao rebel army. In addition, His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin is following the military supervisor, and no one dares to disobey."

Fu Yuancheng said some words of comfort. The generals in the Beijing camp were a mixed bunch, including the sons of the military families in the entire capital. They had not left the capital for many years. It was unknown whether this trip would be a blessing or a curse.

"Then let's leave it to fate. Since we all went to serve in the Beijing Camp, how can we regret it? They are the ones who look down on our military division."

Speaking of this, He Yongxi was very angry. Every year, those sons of nobles fought hard to enter the Beijing camp. Now that the war had started, some people came to his house as lobbyists and wanted to work in the military department. How could he dare to agree? One or two people could still be explained, but if there were too many people, it would cause a lot of noise. If the emperor or Luo Yunhou knew about it, how would it end? After discussing with a few colleagues, he sealed this back door.

"Sir, who said it wasn't true? Fortunately, Marquis Luo Yun left a loophole. There are still 50,000 troops left in the Beijing camp. These are all prepared for those people. Marquis Luo Yun is very strict in military discipline. If he knew that a general had deserted the battlefield and came to our military department to make trouble, we would not be in the right place."

Fu Yuancheng had received many favors from the Marquis, and he was most unwilling to let the Military Department get involved in these troublesome things. If he had known this would happen, why did he do it in the first place?
While the two were talking, Han Ling remained silent behind them. At the foot of the tower, a captain hurried up and knelt on the ground.

"Report, sir, General He Yonghua, the garrison commander of Chang'an County, has an urgent report for you."

Lord He, who was looking at the city, was stunned when he heard this. What urgent news does his cousin from Chang'an County have?

"Bring it here,"

"Yes, my lord,"

The lieutenant stood up, bowed forward, and handed over the secret letter with both hands. After He Yongxi took it, he carefully checked the handwriting. It was the handwriting of his cousin He Yonghua. This must be something. He tore open the envelope, took out the secret letter and looked at it. After a general look, his face became gloomy. Chang Dafu, the prefect of Chang'an County, Yun Guang, the governor, and Rongguo Mansion in the capital, how could they be involved?
Fu Yuancheng and Han Ling who were beside him avoided him a little. For some things, the less you know, the better. Moreover, the person was your immediate superior. You should be more cautious in order to stay with him for a long time.

After waiting for a while,

I saw Commander He put down the letter and asked;
"Do you know what the relationship is between Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, and Rongguo Mansion?"

Asked suddenly,

The questions were even more puzzling. Han Ling lowered his head and ignored them. He was just a gatekeeper. He only had to watch the gate. How could he dare to ask about other things?

On the tower,
A breeze blew by, leaving Tongzhi Fu Yuancheng a little embarrassed. The master asked a little suddenly. Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, was an old friend of Rongguo Mansion. But he secretly glanced at Master He's face and saw that something was wrong. He was afraid that something had happened inside.
"Sir, I am not familiar with Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County. I think he was once a soldier. I cannot guess his relationship with Rongguo Mansion."

The ambiguous words happened to mention the relationship of Rongguo Mansion in the military. Although the words were unclear, they were real. Although the current status of Rongguo Mansion is in danger, many mansions of military honors in the capital still give it face. This is not accumulated now, but was earned by the two old dukes of the Jia family who fought for it with their lives. Your Excellency is not unaware of this.

really,

Hearing Fu Yuancheng's words, He Yongxi paused. How could he not know the connections of Rongguo Mansion in the capital? But how could the He family bear such a slap in the face? Thinking of the secret letter in the envelope and the complaint, He Yongxi quickly recalled the areas where he could intervene. Yun Guang of Chang'an County, since you dare to intervene, you deserve to be in trouble.

The army mobilized by Marquis Luo Yun has already left the city, but Prince Beijing has gone to Xihe County and does not have enough troops. It is not known how many days it will take for the northern land to transfer troops to the south. The threat of the White Lotus bandits is imminent, so why not take this opportunity to let Yun Guang lead the troops to help defend the city? This will not only allow several cabinet elders to intervene, but also let the emperor know the whole story, and let Prince Beijing send troops to reinforce and give the emperor a break, killing three birds with one stone.

After making up his mind, he put the letter away and went down the city wall with his personal soldiers.
"Yuan Cheng, keep an eye on the city gate,"

"Yes, my lord."

Fu Yuancheng didn't know where Master He was going. He wanted to ask but didn't dare. He bowed his head and clasped his fists in response. When he looked up again, he only saw Master He's back.
There was some thought in his eyes.

"General Han, why do you think Lord He suddenly mentioned the involvement of Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, and Rongguo Mansion today? Do you have any guesses about what's going on here?"

Han Ling stood silently beside him, shook his head, and replied;
"Sir, I really don't know, but I know another piece of news. The governor of Chang'an County is Yun Guang, but there is also a garrison general, and I heard his surname is He."

"Oh, this happened,"

Fu Yuancheng raised his head suddenly, a gleam in his eyes, and turned to look at General Han, who was still a bit honest.
"It seems that General Han is hiding his abilities,"

"Sir, how dare I?" Han Ling lowered his head, looking a little embarrassed. For some things, he could only know them if he inquired carefully, but he only knew these things. If there were more things, he would not be able to know them.
Under the city,

As the imperial guards swarmed out,

The last ones to leave the city were Zhang Jinyu and his group. As they saw the south gate of the capital city was right in front of them, they felt reluctant to leave. It is said that it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. After staying in the glamorous world of the capital for too long, they really couldn't move their feet when they thought about going out.

Unfortunately, Wang Ziteng and Daliang City couldn't wait. I don't know how they fought the battle and how they were defeated so easily.

The team was moving slowly, and no one was urging them. Zhang Jinyu looked around and when he was almost at the city gate, he heard the sound of horse hooves behind him.

"My Lord, please walk slower, walk slower,"

I heard someone shouting,

Zhang Jinyu reined in his horse and looked back. It was Eunuch Yun from the palace, who was chasing after him on horseback, followed by a group of soldiers. In the distance, there was another group of soldiers escorting two carriages, hurrying towards this side.

When he got closer, Eunuch Yun was still breathing heavily, with sweat on his forehead. His bright red official robe was a little messy, and he had a long package tied around his body. When he saw the Marquis stop, he immediately shouted:
"My Lord, please slow down. The Grand Prince has already packed his bags and is coming. Also, here is the Imperial Sword that the Emperor gave you."

After saying that, he took off the package on his body and handed it over.

Zhang Jinyu was stunned when he heard this. He was in such a hurry that he really forgot about this matter. He stretched out his hand to take the package, only to feel that the object in his hand was extremely heavy. He was a little surprised that it was so heavy. He carefully opened it and saw that it was a scabbard decorated with golden dragon patterns. It was shining with gorgeous and fine scales in his eyes. It was bright red in color. The hilt was also wrapped with gold wire, and it looked like a dragon and a snake. It was noble and gorgeous. He stretched out his hand to grasp the hilt. It felt a little cold and not smooth. After holding it tightly, he pulled it out.
The cold light was cold, the blade was about seventy inches long, and it even had a blood groove, which was wider and thicker than ordinary swords, as if it could chop and cut, Zhang Jinyu praised;
"It is worthy of being called the Imperial Sword. What a good sword."

He took the sword back, wrapped it up again, and threw it to Ning Bian, then he clasped his fists to thank Eunuch Yun;
"Thank you, Eunuch Yun, for taking the trip. I apologize for being impolite."

"Alas, my Lord, what are you talking about? There is no need to thank you between me and you. This sword was made by Ou Ye Changfeng, a master craftsman in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, using thousand-year-old cold iron. The blade is thick and heavy, and few people use it. My Lord also knows that the Shangfang Sword is a famous sword on the list. I saw that you are used to using a long sword, so I specially found it for you."

Eunuch Yun was polite and bought it. It's good. This broadsword has been covered in dust for many years. Although it is extremely sharp, no one likes to use it, so it has been locked in the inner storehouse. Today, my godfather asked me to go to the inner storehouse to choose a famous sword as the imperial sword for Marquis Luo Yun. I remembered it and hurried here with it after registering. Fortunately, I made it in time.
Zhang Jinyu was slightly moved after hearing Eunuch Yun's explanation. No wonder he broke out in sweat when he saw Eunuch Yun riding a horse. The weight of this sword was indeed a bit heavy.

"Then I have to thank Eunuch Yun even more. I don't have the chance today. I will thank you generously after I return from the battle."

Zhang Jinyu's face was solemn, and he clasped his fists in thanks. As the saying goes, even if there is no merit, there is still hard work. Eunuchs are more reliable than those talented writers at critical moments. In the palace, they should still be respected.

"Your Excellency is too polite. I am just an errand boy and do not deserve your courtesy. Now that you have the sword, I have one less thing to worry about. The Southern Pacification Office and the 1,000 Imperial City Guards have been taken over by Captain Ji. Your Excellency, take care."

Eunuch Yun's face straightened, and his previous hypocritical smile disappeared. He also clasped his fists and returned the courtesy, then pulled the reins and rode back to the palace. As he left, Zhang Jinyu and his group's eyes fell on the convoy not far away. There were four carriages in front and behind, followed by the imperial guards, plus Ji Qianhu's troops and the people they sent, a total of 3,000 people, and everyone was riding a horse, and the speed was not slow.

With these 3,000 guards, I think safety is not a problem, but it is hard to say whether it is good or bad for the eldest prince, Prince Jin, to go with them.
"Ningbian, if the army sets up camp, you should ask Duan Hong to keep an eye on the safety of His Highness's tent. Tell him that no matter what happens, he must ensure His Highness's safety."

"Yes, Lord Marquis, I know that the Marquis's secret guards are already hiding there. Your Highness' every move is under the Marquis's eyes."

Ning Bian lowered his head slightly and moved closer to answer.
Zhang Jinyu nodded with satisfaction. As long as Prince Jin went there safely and came back safely, he would be of great use.
"That's good,"

Seeing that Prince Jin's carriages were approaching, Zhang Jinyu waved his hand, signaling the convoy to continue moving forward. He also pulled the reins, squeezed the horse's belly, and walked in front with his men. After a while, they went out of the city gate and headed towards the Anhu camp. The sky was still bright, so it was a good time to travel!
Only Fu Yuancheng was left standing on the city wall, watching from afar!

inside the city,

After a while of panic in Rongguo Mansion, Jia Mu calmed them down with a few words. When it was time for dinner, no one was asked to leave, and the meal was served in Rongqing Hall. After everyone had eaten, Jia She and Jia Zheng did not want to talk anymore, so they went back. Daiyu and Aunt Xue still needed to take a nap, so they said goodbye to Jia Mu and went back to their rooms to rest.

Seeing everyone leaving one after another, Madam Xing and the Second Madam were also preparing to leave. Just as they were about to get up and say goodbye, they saw Butler Lai outside the door, who walked in quickly, and said to the other side of the door curtain;

"Report to the old lady, Lord Yun, the governor of Chang'an County, has sent a letter."

With these words, the two ladies who had just stood up suddenly stopped, touched the armrests of the chairs, and slowly sat back down. No one paid any attention.
Grandmother Jia raised her head, a trace of confusion flashed in her eyes. What did Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, write to her for?
"come in,"

"Yes, old lady."

Lai Da has changed a lot now. He is careful with his words and actions, and has become more polite. The changes in his family are still fresh in his mind, which has displeased Marquis Luo Yun. If he does not serve the master well, if he is sent away one day, even if the marquis does not remember, other minor officials will vent their anger on the nobleman. Therefore, Lai Da does not care about many things in Rongguo Mansion and asks for instructions more often, which has won a lot of praise from the second wife.
Hearing the old lady agree to let him in, he lowered his head and carefully agreed, then took a few quick steps, entered the inner hall, and said;

"Madam, I have checked the seal with the book and it is the seal of the Chang'an Jiedushi Mansion."

The so-called book is a book left by the old Duke of the Duke's Mansion. There are no outstanding articles in it, but instead a lot of seals and stamps. This was used to keep military secrets confidential. Later, it was kept in the mansion. All letters exchanged outside the capital must be verified for the sake of caution. Only the two masters and the old lady, as well as Lai Da, knew about these things. Lai Da did all the comparisons himself and did not dare to use others.
As soon as Lai Dayan said this, Jia Mu immediately understood what was going on. The letter was real, but it came at a strange time.
"Bring it here. This Chang'an County Jiedushi Yun Guang has not been in contact with our Duke's Mansion for a long time. It's strange that a letter came today."

"Replying to the old lady, I don't know. After the messenger delivered the letter, I asked him, but he shook his head and said he didn't know. He just asked me to keep him for dinner. But he didn't even eat and went back."

This is also the reason why Lai Da wanted to check the seal. They are all old friends, why are they leaving in such a hurry?
Grandmother Jia nodded, this matter was handled safely. She took the letter and looked at it carefully. There was a red seal and a signature stamp, nothing else. It was indeed Yun Guang's work.
The maids Sanchun and Shi Xiangyun in the hall could not bear it any longer, so they stood up and said goodbye. Grandmother Jia did not try to keep them. Only the two ladies remained unmoved, so Grandmother Jia let them do as they pleased. If there was anything to worry about, she would call Jia She and Jia Zheng to discuss it.
Holding the envelope,

Just as the letter was about to be opened, Wang Xifeng, who was lying on the kang beside her, woke up when she heard the noise. She opened her eyes and saw the letter in Lady Jia's hand and asked:

"Old lady, where did this letter come from? Is there anything wrong?"

"Why are you awake? Lie down and sleep for a while. You are tired and exhausted. I will do a lot of things for you from now on. You should rest more. This letter is from Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County. I don't know what it is about yet."

When Grandmother Jia saw that Feng had woken up, she couldn't hide the distress in her eyes. She was still asking about this. She was destined to work hard to accomplish things. She couldn't keep her from getting a little rest.

Little did she know that the old lady's words made the still confused Wang Xifeng sober up instantly. Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, was the abbess Qingxu of Shuiyue Temple. How could she have received a reply when she asked her to do a favor? She was stunned for a moment!
(End of this chapter)