Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 864 Many Strange Stories of War

Shenjing, the official residence of the Dali Temple, and the office of Wei Guanyao, the Temple Minister.

The room was simply furnished, with a row of bookshelves against the wall, densely packed with various documents, a truly impressive sight.

Many volumes come with bookmarks containing brief summaries for easy retrieval.

The desk in the room was simple and spacious, with documents, writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones placed on it, making it look neat, solemn and meticulous.

As the head of the Court of Judicial Review and a key figure in the Three Judicial Offices, Wei Guanyao held a high position and wielded great power.

Although he held a high position, he was not pretentious in officialdom. He was meticulous and diligent in his work, which suited Emperor Jia Zhao’s pragmatic style. Four years ago, he was promoted to the position of Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and has been highly regarded ever since.

He was reviewing the files at hand when he saw Yang Hongbin enter and knew that he had come to report on the progress of the leak case. The two had developed a tacit understanding over the past few days.

Just now, Yang Hongbin and his three subordinate judges carefully discussed the matters to be investigated and made arrangements according to the importance of the doubts.

He then took the documents to the office of the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Because Wei Guanyao was concerned about the case of the leak of secrets from the military camp, Yang Hongbin reported and asked for instructions from Wei Guanyao whenever he had any information.

Wei Guanyao asked, "Hongbin, has there been any progress in the case?"

Yang Hongbin first explained the investigation strategy he had discussed with Jia Cong to Wei Guanyao in detail.

He then briefly reported the investigation of the eight officials involved to Wei Guanyao.

Wei Guanyao nodded slightly and said, "Jia Yuzhang has always been exceptionally talented, and his methods of investigation and inquiry are so sophisticated that even seasoned officials from the Three Judicial Offices are no match for his shrewdness."

Sometimes I find it strange that, given his lineage of teachers and his seemingly innate talent, he's merely occupying a nominal position in the Hanlin Academy, which seems like a waste of his abilities.

Yang Hongbin smiled without saying a word. He was already used to Jia Cong's unpredictable actions, and while others were surprised, he was also used to it.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Wei Guanyao returned to the main topic and asked, "Of these eight officials involved, based on your investigation and deduction, who is the most suspicious?"

Yang Hongbin pulled out Chen Ruichang's case file and said, "My subordinates and I have carefully analyzed it, and Chen Ruichang, the second grandson of the Duke of Qi, deserves the most in-depth investigation."

When Wei Guanyao heard the words "Duke of Qi," his eyes seemed to light up slightly, but he remained silent.

……

Yang Hongbin gave Wei Guanyao a detailed report on what he had found out during his investigation of Chen Ruichang.

He said, "I originally thought that Chen Ruichang was a nobleman from a prominent family. He had experienced the military campaign and was wounded while sending a message from afar. I thought he was unlikely to be the one to leak the secret."

However, Jia Yuzhang felt that among the four military officers, Chen Ruichang was the most deeply involved and could not be easily ruled out as a suspect.

After some investigation, it was found that this person associated with merchants and acted suspiciously, but no concrete evidence was available at the moment.

Wei Guanyao looked serious and said, "Jia Yuzhang's thoughts are correct; this person is indeed highly suspicious."

Because he is a prince of Qi, this matter is all the more urgent and difficult to handle. We must not let it go easily; we must find out the truth as soon as possible!

Yang Hongbin looked surprised and asked, "What do you mean by that, sir?"

Wei Guanyao looked solemn and said, "You don't know this, but the day before the court session, news broke that the military depots had been seized. All the officials were filled with righteous indignation, and war was inevitable."

Many generals volunteered to lead the troops in court, requesting to fight against Anda Khan of the Tuman tribe. Duke Chen Yi of Qi was one of the generals who volunteered.

These past few days I have frequently entered the palace to report to His Majesty on the progress of the investigation into the leak of military supplies.

Those who accompanied him to the Warm Pavilion to discuss politics were all high-ranking officials from the Cabinet, the Ministry of War, and the Five Military Commissions. Among them, many mentioned the selection of generals and officers for war.

Duke Chen Yi of Qi was a veteran general in the army and served as the Left Army Commander of the Five Armies Command, making him quite famous among military officers.

During the discussions in the warm pavilion, his name was often mentioned by the emperor and ministers. In this war against the Mongols, Duke Chen Yi of Qi is very likely to be entrusted with an important task.

If his second grandson is found to have leaked military secrets, this matter will be of utmost importance, and the consequences will be unpredictable..."

Upon hearing this, Yang Hongbin's expression changed. As a sixth-rank official, he was not qualified to enter the court and naturally did not know the inside story.

He said, “My lord, although this matter is of great importance, my investigation into Chen Ruichang has raised some doubts, but they are merely speculations and I have no concrete evidence.”

If this method is used to influence the selection of generals, it would be illegitimate and baseless, akin to making baseless accusations. Wouldn't that be tantamount to the cruel practices of the Judicial Office, and the Court of Judicial Review would inevitably face criticism from both the court and the public?

The final investigation concluded that Chen Ruichang had not leaked any secrets. This would put the Court of Judicial Review in a difficult position, and officials from various departments and the Censorate would undoubtedly impeach and attack him!

Wei Guanyao sighed, “You are absolutely right. We cannot reveal this matter lightly without concrete evidence, lest it become difficult to handle later.”

Even if Chen Ruichang was indeed involved in leaking secrets, Duke Qi, Chen Yi, was a hereditary nobleman and a veteran official of two dynasties. Judging from his words and deeds, there was absolutely no possibility that he would have colluded with the remnants of the Ming dynasty.

The safest course of action is to investigate Chen Ruichang thoroughly and obtain concrete evidence as soon as possible. However, we must not act rashly before any clues emerge, lest we alert him!
Even if we cannot reach the front, we hope His Majesty will determine the military positions for the campaign against the Mongols and has other capable and valiant generals in mind…

……

The Great Zhou Palace, Qianyang Palace.

The sky was overcast, and the palace was magnificent, vast and desolate, exuding an unusual sense of oppression. Only occasionally could one see palace maids and eunuchs hurrying to and fro on the central axis corridor.

Jia Cong received an imperial edict from Emperor Jiazhao and followed the eunuch into Chengtian Gate. Walking along the empty palace path, he felt a profound sense of insignificance and melancholy.
When they arrived at Qianyang Palace, the area around the palace was heavily guarded, with many more imperial guards patrolling than usual, creating an atmosphere of solemnity and impending doom.

The unusually strong defenses surprised Jia Cong. Such tight security meant that not only was it impenetrable, but even a bird would have a hard time flying out...

When Jia Cong entered the warm pavilion in the rear hall, he encountered several court officials who, like him, were being summoned to the palace.

Several of them were familiar faces, such as Grand Secretary Wang Shilun, Grand Secretary Cai Xiang, Minister of War Gu Yankui, and Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding.

Duke Qi, Chen Yi, Minister of Personnel, Chen Mo, and several other men dressed as military officers were not recognized by Jia Cong, but he noticed their military insignia and badges and concluded that they were generals of the Fifth Army.

In fact, with two rounds of military reports entering the city yesterday and being suddenly summoned to the palace today, Jia Cong had already guessed what was going to happen.

Now that I've seen these people here, my mind is even clearer and more certain.

When the officials entered the warm pavilion and lined up to pay their respects to the emperor, Jia Cong saw Emperor Jia Zhao sitting behind the imperial desk.

Although his eyes were clear and he was in high spirits, his face was visibly pale and showed a hint of fatigue.

On the east wall of the warm pavilion, a map had already been hung, depicting the three thousand miles of rivers and mountains north of the capital, divided by nine borders, all the way to the vast northern grasslands.

Emperor Jiazhao said solemnly, "Today I have summoned all my beloved ministers to the palace to discuss and finalize important military and national affairs!"

Yesterday, we received an urgent military intelligence report from the north: Prince Badu of the remnant Mongol tribe has led tens of thousands of elite Mongol troops in a surprise attack on Xuanfu Town, a key town on the border.

The garrison of Xuanfu held out for three days without retreating, but the remnants of the Mongol army had already planted spies in the city. They tricked the enemy into opening the south gate at night, and Xuanfu was attacked from both sides and fell.

After the Mongol army entered the city, they massacred the city for nearly two days, resulting in the deaths of more than 40,000 soldiers and civilians.

After Xuanfu Town was occupied, Anda Khan personally led tens of thousands of elite troops to gather in Donggang Town and march south to capture Hongshuji, a transit point on the military grain route.

Their intention was to advance south along the grain transport routes, with their military might pointing directly at the capital region; their arrogance was truly extreme…

……

Many ministers present already knew about the military report and battle situation that Emperor Jiazhao mentioned, but Jia Cong and several generals of the Five Armies Camps, because of their low rank, were hearing it for the first time.

Yesterday, when Jia Cong saw the military report that a fast horse had entered the city and was galloping through the bustling streets, indicating an urgent situation, he knew that the war in the north was bound to change, but he never expected the situation to be so serious...

Emperor Jia Zhao continued, "The barbarians are arrogant and treacherous, they have broken their promises and invaded the south, slaughtering the people. Their crimes are too numerous to count!"
When the nation faces war, the ruler and his ministers are of one mind and work together to wipe out the invading barbarians, to comfort the 40,000 soldiers and civilians who perished in Xuanfu Town, and to uphold the prestige of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

At present, the elite troops of the garrison and the five military camps in various places have been mobilized to the outskirts of the northern city, and the two prefectures to the north have been reinforced with city defenses to prevent the Mongol invaders from attacking.

Now that the troops and provisions are ready, all that remains is to appoint loyal and brave generals to fight for the country and bring glory to the Emperor.

Regarding the selection of generals for the campaign against the Mongols, I and my ministers have been deliberating and discussing this matter for the past few days, and the military ranks at each level have now been determined.

After Emperor Jiazhao finished speaking, he nodded to Gu Yankui, the Minister of War. Gu Yankui stepped forward, stood on the right side of the imperial desk, and unfurled the bright yellow imperial edict scroll.

He read in a deep voice: "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Great Zhou Dynasty enjoys the mandate of Heaven, the four seas are at peace, and all people live in happiness and prosperity. Great order is on the horizon."

However, the three tribes of the Mongol tribes are rebellious and barbaric, they deceived us with their promises of peace, broke their alliances and abandoned their principles, plundered our territory, and slaughtered our soldiers and civilians. Their crimes are heinous, arousing the wrath of both gods and men, and they deserve to be punished by heaven and earth.

The General Commander of Liaodong, Marquis of Pingyuan, Liang Chengzong, was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the entire army to fight against the Mongols. An urgent imperial edict, issued from eight hundred li away, ordered him to return to the capital immediately to assume his post.

The commander of the Five Armies Camp, Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding, was the deputy commander-in-chief of the entire army that attacked the Mongols. He commanded 65,000 elite troops and was in charge of the defense of the nine gates of the capital.

Chen Yi, the commander of the Central Army of the Five Military Commands, was the deputy commander of the entire army that was fighting against the Mongols. He was under the command of the commander-in-chief and was primarily responsible for the defense of the two northern prefectures, waiting for an opportunity to send troops to meet the enemy.

General Xuanwu, Jia Cong, supervisor of the Firearms Department of the Ministry of Works, was appointed as the deputy commander of the Divine Machine Battalion for the campaign against the Mongols. He was under the command of the commander-in-chief and led 6,000 elite Divine Machine Battalion soldiers to Tongzhou to await orders.

Bi Yunsheng, the Left Army Assistant General of the Fifth Army Battalion, led 10,000 elite Left Army troops to Tongzhou to await orders.

Liu Changyao, the Right Army Assistant General of the Fifth Army Battalion, led 10,000 elite Right Army troops to a distant prefecture to await orders…

Gu Yankui read the imperial edict for a long time, which involved more than 20 generals and civil officials of the army that was fighting against the Mongols. More than half of them were unable to enter the palace to hear the edict due to their official positions and duties.

Upon hearing the imperial edict, Jia Cong was slightly shocked, for he held the official rank of fifth grade and his honorary title was only fourth grade.

His appointment as a deputy general, leading six thousand elite Shenji Battalion soldiers and directly under the command of the commander-in-chief, shows the general's high regard for him.

Emperor Jia Zhao not only valued the power of firearms in combat, but also recognized his own talent and strategy in using firearms against the enemy.

Last time, when he fought against the three Jurchen tribes in Liaodong, he led a thousand elite firearms troops and was able to achieve a surprising victory, winning every battle.

Now commanding six thousand elite Shenji Battalion soldiers, not only are the number of troops several times greater than before, but the various firearms issued are also more advanced and abundant than when the Jurchens were pacified. Moreover, the commander-in-chief, Liang Chengzong, is a skilled commander. Jia Cong served under him during the Liaodong campaign, and the two have a tacit understanding. When they go out to fight, they achieve twice the result with half the effort.

According to Jia Cong's original estimate, he would inevitably have to lead troops into battle in this campaign against the Mongols, and the current appointment of generals was the best possible outcome.

However, the three Mongol tribes possessed 150,000 elite troops, and even if more than half of them marched south, their momentum was overwhelming, far surpassing that of the three Jurchen tribes of that time.

Therefore, this campaign is fraught with danger and hardship, the outcome is uncertain, and it may be a protracted one, which may mean being away from home for a long time...

……

Upon hearing the imperial edict, the assembled officials had varying thoughts: some were disappointed, some were excited, and some remained calm and composed.

Many of them glanced at Jia Cong out of the corner of their eyes, their expressions showing a mixture of shock and astonishment.

The generals of the five armies who received the imperial decree felt a mix of emotions, as their military qualifications and age were far superior to Jia Cong's.

Although they were ranked as military commanders alongside Jia Cong, and even the number of troops they commanded was far greater than Jia Cong's.

However, as commanders of the Five Armies, they were somewhat aware of the extraordinary combat power of the Shenji Battalion, which was also under the Five Armies.

Even though the Shenji Battalion was divided into an independent camp and the training of the troops was subject to secrecy measures, the Five Armies Battalion was full of people and had many mouths, and the power of the new firearms could not be kept secret.

These generals knew perfectly well that, despite each commanding over ten thousand troops, their fighting strength was no greater than that of the six thousand Divine Machine Battalion...

Moreover, Jia Cong's position as a deputy general not only explicitly stipulated in the imperial edict that he would lead an army independently, but also granted him great mobility, ensuring that he could advance and retreat flexibly on the battlefield and was not constrained by friendly forces.

Moreover, Jia Cong led 6,000 Shenji Battalion soldiers, bypassing the deputy commander-in-chief and directly under the command of the commander-in-chief, Liang Chengzong.

Even though these five army commanders led more than 10,000 troops, they were normally subject to the control of the deputy commander-in-chief. Although they were both assistant commanders, they were actually a step below Jia Cong.

However, even though Jia Cong was too young and his military resources were far less than theirs, his remarkable achievements in pacifying the Jurchens and his unique ability to command troops with firearms were still remarkable.

This was enough to make any general of the same rank feel powerless. Even if these generals felt resentful, they were helpless and dared not utter a word.

Qi Guogong Chen Yi felt a great sense of loss upon hearing the imperial edict. He had once requested to lead the army in court, hoping to establish merit and regain his former glory and prestige through the war against the Mongols.

However, His Majesty preferred to go to great lengths, appointing Liang Chengzong, the Marquis of Pingyuan, the General of Liaodong, thousands of miles away, as the commander-in-chief, rather than employing an old general like himself.

Although he was appointed as the deputy commander-in-chief, the difference between the commander and deputy commander in the army is like heaven and earth.

However, Marquis Liang Chengzong of Pingyuan was a famous general of his time. He had fought five battles against Anda Khan of the Tuman tribe without ever being defeated. He was the only one in the world who could fight Anda Khan.

Although Duke Chen Yi of Qi was also indignant, he dared not utter a single complaint, because whether it was his ability to command troops or his impressive battle record, he was far inferior to them.

Grand Secretary Cai Xiang, who was present at the meeting, was also invited to the inner chamber to receive imperial decrees because of his involvement in the wartime allocation of military and civilian officials.

He paid little attention to the other officials and military officers who received imperial orders, but he paid special attention to Jia Cong, because Jia Cong and his youngest son were classmates and close friends.

His son, Xiaoyu, is exceptionally talented and has remarkable literary skills. Last year, he ranked among the top two in the imperial examination. Although he is not as dazzling as Jia Cong, his literary talent is not far behind.

However, compared to Jia Cong's astonishing martial prowess, his youngest son, Xiao Yu, was utterly powerless and a complete laughingstock.

Jia Cong was only the same age as his son, yet he had already surpassed his colleagues as a military officer and held power, leading an army on his own. Such exceptional talent in both literature and martial arts was probably unmatched among the young talents of that time.

Given his remarkable military achievements in Liaodong, it remains to be seen whether he can achieve further military merits in this campaign against the Mongols.

Having a close friend like Jia Cong is very beneficial to his career.

Lately, things have been a bit strange. Even my daughter often mentions Jia Cong, probably because of her brother, and she's heard a lot about Jia Cong's deeds and reputation.

The daughter even became close friends with Jia Cong's elder sister, and was invited to serve tea in the inner courtyard of the Jia family's East Mansion. It was her son who personally delivered the tea to her.

Cai Xiang was a shrewd and intelligent official with exceptional talent and foresight. How could he not see that Jia Cong had a bright future?

He was naturally happy that his two children were on good terms with Jia Cong and his siblings, as it would greatly benefit his son and daughter in the future...

……

The officials received the imperial decree and expressed their gratitude before leaving the palace to assume their duties. After all, with a large army on the expedition, there were countless matters to attend to, and everyone bore a heavy responsibility.

As Jia Cong followed the crowd out of the palace, Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding, lagged a few steps behind. When Jia Cong reached his side...

He said, "Yu Zhang, His Majesty issued a secret edict three days ago, appointing Marquis Liang Chengzong of Pingyuan as commander."

The Ministry of War has ordered the three passes to draw 12,000 elite border troops from Datong, Jizhou, and Liaodong respectively, to march south immediately and join the army that is attacking the Mongols.

Having personally experienced the war against the Jurchens, Commander Liang was well aware of the power of firearms. Based on my deduction, Commander Liang must have transferred a large number of elite troops from the Liaodong Firearms Battalion to the south.

These men once served under you, accompanying you as you marched out of the pass to annihilate the Jurchens; they were all valiant soldiers who had experienced real combat.

Six thousand members of the Divine Machine Battalion can be transferred in as the backbone, which can increase the firearms army's combat power by 20%.

In addition, you should make a proper plan as soon as possible for the allocation of firearms and ammunition needed for the expedition of 6,000 Shenji Battalion, so that they can be transported with the army in a timely manner.

No one is more knowledgeable and experienced in this matter than you, but time is tight, and we need to get started as soon as possible.

Jia Cong said, "Thank you for your reminder and guidance, Uncle. I will make preparations immediately after leaving the palace."

Shi Ding smiled and said, "The country is facing war, which is an opportunity for a good general. I hope you can achieve great feats again."

Tomorrow morning, I will order the entire Shenji Battalion to line up, and you may enter the camp and select six thousand elite troops..."

Jia Cong quickly thanked Shi Ding and, after leaving the palace, returned to the workshop outside the city to prepare the firearms and ammunition needed for the expedition.

He then sent Jiang Liu back to his residence to report the news, knowing that his sisters at home must be worried about his urgent summons to the palace.

He recalled what Shi Ding had just said: Emperor Jia Zhao had issued an edict appointing commanders three days ago and had mobilized the elite border troops from the three passes.

Faced with a major national crisis, their actions were unusual, meticulous, and secretive, leaving one wondering about their underlying considerations...

……

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Yuanyang, wearing a light red silk inner garment and a light blue embroidered long coat, with a white crepe silk handkerchief tied around her waist, was brewing tea at a small table beside the Luohan couch.

On the small table sat a red clay stove, the charcoal fire warm and glowing red. A pot of freshly brewed Lao Jun Mei tea was already steaming and fragrant.

The mandarin duck-shaped teapot was filled into a small polychrome covered cup from the Chenghua kiln and placed on a tray to be presented to Grandmother Jia.

Grandmother Jia raised her cup and took a small sip, then smiled and said, "This tea is brewed perfectly. It's best to drink it after a meal to cut through the greasiness and clear the palate. You should all have a cup too."

Yuanyang had two official kiln porcelain bowls filled with white porcelain, and after filling each one, she had a maidservant serve them to Lady Wang and Baoyu.

After lunch today, Lady Wang, who was taking Baoyu to visit Caixia, naturally had to find an excuse to pay her respects to Grandmother Jia.

Lady Wang took the covered bowl, took a sip with great seriousness, and kept saying that it was good tea. Only Baoyu held the tea bowl, somewhat absent-minded.

She couldn't help but look at the pretty and charming Yuanyang, but her heart was filled with regret. Now, Yuanyang was becoming more and more distant.

In the past, when I entered Rongqing Hall, the old lady would offer me tea, which was usually served by Sister Yuanyang. However, the rules have changed in the last six months, and I feel saddened by this.

Madam Wang smiled and said, "Grandma, Baoyu and I just checked on Caixia. The girl looks very well, and everything is going smoothly."

She's already up now, and I see her belly is quite round; it's definitely a sign she'll give birth to a son. Then Baoyu will have many children to carry on the family line.

Grandmother Jia was pleased to hear this and said with a smile, "If the first child is a boy, Caixia is very lucky. You have good judgment. You chose her to be Baoyu's bedmate."

When Baoyu heard them talking about having children again, he couldn't help but feel disgusted and thought it was vulgar. Fortunately, his sisters weren't there, otherwise it would have been another embarrassing situation.

……

At this moment, the curtain was lifted, and Wang Xifeng entered the hall with her maid Feng'er. She first paid her respects to Grandmother Jia, and then glanced at Lady Wang and Baoyu.

He smiled and said, "I heard Second Madam speaking as soon as I entered the door. She sounded very cheerful. I wonder what good news she had to say?"

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "We were just talking about Caixia. Judging from her figure, she looks like she'll be born a boy. That's not a good thing."

Wang Xifeng casually replied with a smile, "That would naturally be a good thing."

Although she spoke politely, she was filled with contempt in her heart. She thought her aunt was just making conversation for no reason, trying to drag the old lady into it, without even finding a decent topic to talk about.

Even if he has the appearance of a son, so what? At best, he'll just be a son of a concubine from an unofficial family.

Cong Lao San's son, born out of wedlock, might very well become a nobleman of the Rongguo Kingdom in the future. Bao Yu's son, born out of wedlock, is nothing but a rat's son digging a hole in the ground, a good-for-nothing who wastes rice and grain.

Grandmother Jia suddenly asked, "It's past noon today, why haven't Lin's daughter and Er's daughter come over? Are they both staying at the East Mansion?"

Wang Xifeng said, "The old lady hasn't heard the news. I just heard from the East Mansion that Brother Cong returned to the mansion this morning."

Not long after, a palace eunuch came to the East Palace, saying that the Emperor urgently summoned Cong and his brother to the palace.

I sent Ping'er over to inquire, and my second sister said that the military situation in the north was urgent, the Mongols were about to cause trouble, and Cong and his brother had been summoned to the palace, most likely for important political affairs.

The sisters are all waiting for a reply, so they haven't had time to come over..."

(End of this chapter)