Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Twenty miles northwest of the capital, there is a dense forest nestled at the foot of a mountain.

At dawn, the sky was shrouded in darkness, with red clouds and hazy mist, and a sense of desolation permeated the world.

The image in the telescope continued to expand, and when the three fast horses galloped closer, it was Jiang Xiaoliu and two scouts.

Jiang Xiaoliu dismounted and said, "Lord, news has already spread from the spies near Wawu Town last night."

Yesterday, the remnants of the Mongol cavalry plundered Jiafeng Town and Yushan Village, killing all the townspeople and looting all their grain and livestock.

Both villages and towns were close to Wawu Town. After they were occupied, the entire area within sixty li of Wawu Town was controlled by the remnant Mongol elite cavalry, and the news was kept secret.

The elite cavalry that looted the two villages and towns mostly returned to Wawu Town last night. Combined, the remaining Mongol elite cavalry numbered not just 15,000, but close to 20,000.

When Jia Cong heard that the townspeople in the two places had been killed, his face turned ashen. He said, "They control a sixty-mile radius, enough for twenty thousand elite cavalry to maneuver freely."

As long as they seal off the external passages of Shenjing and prevent the news from spreading to the four neighboring states, they can control the surrounding two hundred li, making it very difficult to gather forces and annihilate them.

After they occupied the three villages and towns, what other unusual actions did they take?
Jiang Xiaoliu said, "Yesterday, the spies around Wawu Town discovered that the Canmeng sent out nearly a hundred scouts, dressed in plain clothes, and rode out of the town in batches."

Heading towards the eastern outskirts of the capital, and patrolling near the firearms workshop, they did not approach within two miles of the workshop, perhaps fearing to alert the imperial guards.

As the Earl had guessed, the Mongols were indeed interested in the workshops. They were known for their plundering and had likely heard of the power of firearms.

They must be investigating the workshop's situation, hoping to seize it with their troops and plunder it, taking advantage of the Great Zhou's elite firearms. However, they are unaware that the workshop has already been completely relocated.

……

Jia Cong said, "Anda Khan is a man of great foresight. Although the Mongols have never witnessed the power of firearms, they must have heard of the battles fought by the Jurchens in Liaodong."

The Mongol delegation had been in the capital for several months and could not possibly have been unaware of the location of the firearms workshop. Anda Khan secretly dispatched a large army to approach the capital, making the firearms workshop seem to be right under their noses.

They will undoubtedly covet the firearms workshops. This is the easiest way for us to predict their subsequent troop movements. If we make good use of this, we can create an opportunity for battle.

The firearms workshop was located in the eastern suburbs, surrounded by open areas on all sides, offering no view or cover, which was not conducive to the movement of ambushes.

There was only one place where troops could be hidden: a small earthen hill near the east city wall, no more than ten feet high, covered with dense pine forests, and with a monastery at the top.

That place can hide two thousand cavalrymen and can be used as a place to lure the enemy and ambush them. I will lead the cavalry to detour around the north city and enter the earthen hill along the east city wall to set up an ambush.

However, the movement of two thousand cavalrymen would easily attract the attention of the remaining Mongol scouts. Once our intentions are leaked, it will be much more difficult to achieve a surprise victory.

Xiao Liu, I will send you two hundred cavalrymen. You will lead them to run around the southeast of the workshop more than ten times, making as much of a show of force as possible.

The firearms workshop faces southeast towards Wawu Town, where there must be many remnant Mongol scouts. By drawing their attention there, we can provide cover for the main force's operation.

I will take the opportunity to lead the team quickly into the earthen hill. Also, you cannot go empty-handed; you must display my banner and flag.

Jiang Xiaoliu scratched his head, looking somewhat confused, and asked, "Lord, I understand why you want me to lead troops to harass the enemy, create a disturbance, and mislead them."

Why display the general's banners so openly? Don't the Mongols already know the situation and that the lord is leading troops nearby?

Jia Cong smiled slightly: "Just do as I say. I have a purpose for you. After the army has marched ten miles north, you must immediately go to the workshop and patrol on horseback. There must be no mistakes."

……

After Jiang Xiaoliu led two hundred cavalrymen to set off, Jia Cong gathered the remaining eighteen hundred cavalrymen, counted their ammunition, packed their belongings, and left the dense forest at the foot of the mountain.

Before setting off, he personally issued military orders: if the remaining troops encounter the enemy, move and fight according to his orders, and all improved Lumi guns should be lined up and fired intensively.

The eight hundred breech-loading musketeers were not to move without orders and had to follow his commands. Only if the Mongol cavalry broke through the firing range of the Rumi muskets could the breech-loading musketeers fire at a distance.

Once the remnant Mongolian brigade was kept out of firing range, the breech-loading gunners immediately ceased fire and waited for the next round of range-blocking fire, repeating this cycle to always keep the enemy out of firing range.

Moreover, once the two sides engage in battle, no matter how intense the fighting is, porcelain mines must not be used without his order; otherwise, they will be severely punished under military law.

……

Before the two thousand cavalrymen set off, Jia Cong had ordered all cavalrymen to be equipped with an additional number of porcelain grenades and ammunition, and now he strictly forbade them from using the porcelain grenades lightly.

It should be understood that for musketeers, porcelain grenades are more lethal than bullets, making them the most effective weapon for suppressing enemy forces that outnumber them.

Moreover, many soldiers of the Shenji Battalion did not understand Jia Cong's use of breech-loading muskets.

They all knew that the 800 breech-loading musketeers were the strongest force among muskets, so why couldn't they use them all in battle, but instead used them very sparingly?

Although many soldiers had doubts, Jia Cong led the troops on the expedition for only a few days, and his strategic acumen as a general and his ability to lead troops were evident to all in the army.

Every night during the march, he would gather with the platoon leaders and instructors to guide the cavalry in their operations and the use of firearms against the enemy, earning the admiration of the officers in the army.

In addition, the presence of key figures from the old Liaodong army, such as Jiang Xiaoliu and Yu Xiuzhu, played an excellent role in uniting the troops and increasing his prestige within the army.

He pacified the Jurchens in Liaodong with brilliant achievements and was granted a hereditary title, which is still talked about in the army to this day, naturally making it easier for the soldiers to admire him.

Therefore, even though the military orders were difficult, none of the generals and soldiers objected. This was the result of Jia Cong's outstanding military achievements and his own dazzling reputation.

As dawn broke, Jia Cong led his entire army on a rapid northward detour, a route that would further distance them from Wawu Town.

……

Jia Cong and Ai Li rode at the head of the procession, surrounded by bodyguards who kept a distance between them.

Ellie tightened the reins, steered her horse closer to Jia Cong, and asked, "Yu Zhang, the military order you just gave was rather strange; many soldiers are puzzled by it."

Even I don't quite understand. We are now facing 20,000 elite cavalry. The enemy's advance is powerful and quite astonishing.

"The rapid-fire power of breech-loading muskets and the explosive destructive power of ceramic grenades are effective weapons for suppressing large cavalry units. Why are you using them so cautiously?"

Jia Cong said, "I originally thought the enemy only had 15,000 men, but I didn't expect it to reach more than 20,000, which is far beyond my expectations."

Even with our two thousand well-equipped cavalry, and with ample ammunition and grenades, it would still be beyond our ability to completely suppress twenty thousand elite cavalry.

Although the Mongols had heard of the fame of firearms, they had never actually seen them. Seeing is believing, and hearing is deceiving, so their fear of firearms was naturally very limited.

Knowing oneself but not the enemy is a major taboo in warfare, but for us it is the best opportunity and the key to victory.

The reason I suppressed the use of breech-loading muskets and ceramic grenades was to control the firepower of firearms at an appropriate intensity when the two armies clashed.

This would both intimidate the Mongols with the power of firearms and prevent them from becoming overly fearful, convinced that firearms were invincible, or even thinking that they could take advantage of the situation.

Only in this way can our two thousand cavalrymen hold back an enemy force ten times their size, and only then will we have a chance to annihilate them beneath the city walls.

Otherwise, the high rate of fire of breech-loading muskets and the cluster killing power of porcelain grenades would expose them to the enemy lines too early, causing the remaining Mongol cavalry to fear and hesitate to fight.

If our 20,000 elite cavalry retreat and flee, even the most powerful firearms will be useless against them, rendering them useless.

If these 20,000 elite cavalrymen were to flee and hide, entrenched around the capital, they would be like a malignant tumor, and if they could not be eradicated, they would surely become a major threat.

They even influence the success or failure of the campaign against the Mongols, so even at a great cost, we must gather them together and annihilate them as soon as possible!

Ellie laughed and said, "You're really good at planning. You were born to lead troops into battle. You're sure to win this battle."

Jia Cong shook his head and said, "The number of the Mongol contingent is far beyond our expectations. This battle is very risky, but it is unavoidable."

"It's really inappropriate for you to come with me on this dangerous journey. You should stay in the rear and assist Lin Zhen in guarding the artillery position."

Ellie laughed it off and said, "What are you talking about? When it comes to fighting on the battlefield, I'm no less capable than you. That's how it was in Liaodong..."

……

Firearms workshop in the eastern suburbs of Shenjing.

The number of soldiers in the Imperial Guard camp guarding the workshop decreased from 1,500 to 500 after the firearms workshop was relocated.

Although the workshop had been emptied of its essential equipment, it was still a vital military and national site and could not be ignored; troops still needed to be sent to guard it.

After all, refugees have been gathering outside the city recently, and if such a large workshop is not guarded by soldiers, it will surely be ruined by the refugees.

Originally, the area under the emperor's nose was the most secure place. Even though the three northern passes were engulfed in war, the area around the capital was peaceful.

Although the five hundred imperial guards who remained outside the city were mostly indifferent, they were much more relaxed than usual, as they were no longer burdened with the heavy responsibility of guarding the workshops.

However, a military report came from the city last night that a large group of remnant Mongol cavalry had been spotted in Wawu Town, 20 miles away, and the 500 Imperial Guards guarding the town were ordered to strengthen their vigilance.

When the news reached the Imperial Guard camp, all five hundred soldiers were on high alert. Wawu Town was only twenty miles from the workshop, and it would take less than half an hour for a fast horse to charge.

The Mongol cavalry were renowned for their swift horses and curved swords; their elite cavalry moved with incredible speed, arriving in an instant upon spotting the enemy, leaving no time for retreat. The five hundred Imperial Guard infantrymen were outnumbered and outmatched; if they encountered a large Mongol cavalry force, they would be annihilated in a matter of moments.

The five hundred military officers immediately reported this and requested to lead the troops back into the city, but Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding refused and ordered them to wait for orders and remain in place to defend the workshop.

When the news reached the Imperial Guard camp, the soldiers were in an uproar. Many of them couldn't understand why an empty workshop needed to be heavily guarded.

These officials are all heartless, treating the lives of soldiers like a joke. But military orders have always been paramount, and despite the complaints, no one dares to disobey them.

If anyone is afraid of death and tries to escape back to the city on their own, military law will not tolerate it, and they will die anyway.

With their retreat route to the city cut off, the five hundred Imperial Guards had no choice but to hold their ground, each on edge, watching the direction of Wawu Town.

They hoped that once they discovered enemy activity, they could quickly report it to the city and take cover to save their lives.

……

As the sun rose higher, dust billowed from the northwest of the workshop, and a troop of cavalry galloped towards them.

The imperial guards guarding the camp were on high alert, setting up barricades in front of the camp and drawing their bows and arrows, ready to fight the enemy with all their might. Many of them felt that great disaster was about to befall them.

When the cavalrymen got closer, the captain of the Imperial Guards could see clearly that the cavalrymen were all in the uniforms of the Great Zhou army, with a black battle flag fluttering in the wind.

The banner was embroidered with a large character "Jia" and also bore the insignia of the Xuanwu General.

Upon recognizing his own men, the Imperial Guard captain quickly halted the soldiers who were poised to charge and ran forward to deliver the message to his superiors.

The cavalry leader said, "I am Jiang Xiaoliu, the captain of the personal guard under Marquis Weiyuan. I have heard that enemy traces have appeared in the direction of Wawu Town."

The firearms workshop is a vital military and national site, and there can be no negligence or carelessness. Wei Yuanbo has assigned us to patrol and protect it.

The five hundred imperial guards in the main camp should each fulfill their duties and continue to guard the firearms workshop.

After Jiang Xiaoliu finished speaking, he led two hundred cavalrymen to patrol around the workshop. The black general's flag fluttered in the wind, making them look quite imposing.

The Imperial Guard captain had a strange look on his face. After the cavalry had gone far away, he couldn't help but spit on the ground.

"Have the officials all gone mad? A desolate workshop, not only are five hundred imperial guards not enough, but they even sent a cavalry squad over."

"Damn it, they're all just bored and have nothing better to do. Everyone says that Marquis Jia Cong of Weiyuan is both a scholar and a warrior, a formidable figure, but it turns out he's just a simpleton..."

…………

On the city wall of Shenjing East City, Marquis Shi Ding, the Loyal and Tranquil Lord, was inspecting the city's defenses, inquiring about every detail, from the number of garrisoned on each section of the wall to the supply of weapons, food, and water.

Since he was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the army to fight against the Mongols, commanding 65,000 elite troops, controlling the troops of various government offices in the city, and responsible for the defense of the nine gates of the capital, he has never dared to relax for a moment.

Even though he was a minister who had followed Emperor Jia Zhao to the throne and enjoyed the emperor's favor, even surpassing that of Marquis Weiyuan Jia Cong, he was still extremely cautious in accepting the imperial appointment.

Upon receiving an urgent military report from Jia Cong, informing him that 15,000 elite Mongol cavalrymen were entrenched in Wawu Town, 20 li away, Shi Ding was even more cautious in his defense of the capital region.

Aside from attending the morning court session, he spent most of his time on the city walls of the Nine Gates, returning home only after a long and busy day.

A good general is wise, but even more so, he is diligent. As the commander of the city's defense army, he is diligent and meticulous, and his troops are cautious and prudent. Naturally, his soldiers will not dare to be negligent.

As Shi Ding inspected the nine gates daily, prepared military affairs, deployed troops, and enforced strict military discipline, the defenses of the nine gates of the capital became more rigorous and meticulous day by day.

When he inspected the city wall of Hongde Gate in the east, his expression became even more solemn, because among the nine gates of the capital, Hongde Gate in the east was the closest to Wawu Town.

Moreover, from the top of Hongde Gate, one can see the Ministry of Works' firearms workshops outside the city, as well as the Imperial Guard camp.

The military commander of the Fifth Army, who was accompanying the patrol, saw Shi Ding standing on the city wall, looking towards the location of the firearms workshop.

He said, "Reporting to the commander, Yu Chengzhong, the guard of the workshop, has submitted a petition requesting forty powerful crossbows and two thousand crossbow bolts to strengthen the guard battalion's defenses against the enemy."

Shi Ding laughed and said, "I don't know what he's thinking. He's worried that the remnants of the Mongol elite cavalry in Wawu Town will launch a surprise attack, and his five hundred defenders will not be able to withstand it."

These forty powerful crossbows were his lifeline; if enemy cavalry attacked, they could hold off the assault for a while, buying him time to retreat to the city walls.

The adjutant said, “General, now that the firearms workshop has been moved into the city, why leave five hundred imperial guards to guard an empty building?”

"It would be better to have them withdraw back into the city. Both the city wall defenses and the city's garrison require manpower, and five hundred men is no small number."

Shi Ding said solemnly, "It is precisely because the firearms workshop has been emptied that the five hundred imperial guards have to guard it day and night. This is a matter of great importance to the military and the country, and a single move can affect the whole situation."

To make outsiders believe that the firearms workshop is still a vital military and national stronghold of the Great Zhou Dynasty, an inviolable boundary, where military orders are absolute and they must remain steadfast.

"Increase the number of powerful crossbows requested by Yu Chengzhong from forty to fifty, and increase the number of crossbow bolts to three thousand, so that we will have more resources to defend against the enemy in case of an attack."

……

At this moment, from the Imperial Guard camp of the workshop, hundreds of cavalrymen galloped in from afar, patrolling back and forth around the workshop, their hooves raising clouds of dust.

A black banner with a large "Jia" character embroidered on it fluttered in the wind among the cavalry, making it exceptionally eye-catching.

At this moment, a patrolling soldier on the city wall reported: "Reporting to the commander, a large cavalry force has appeared in the north of the city. Their uniforms and numbers belong to the Shenji Battalion Cavalry."

They were splitting up and bypassing the north city walls, heading towards Shijia Tushan on the eastern outskirts of the city. The leader of the group was Marquis Weiyuan, Jia Cong.

Upon hearing this, Shi Ding's spirits lifted, and he said to the adjutant beside him, "Strengthen patrols in the north and east of the city. If any arrows or messages are shot into the city, report to me immediately."

The elite troops selected yesterday, their numbers, horses, weapons, bows, and crossbows have all been mobilized to the East City Camp, ready to be deployed at any time, without fail!

Before Shi Ding finished speaking, the sound of thunderous hooves came from around the firearms workshops below the city. Jiang Xiaoliu was leading his cavalry, riding around on horseback.

Although it was only two hundred cavalrymen galloping in formation, kicking up clouds of dust, their imposing presence made it difficult to discern the exact number of soldiers from a distance.

But the black banner of the cavalry, even amidst the billowing dust and bathed in the bright morning sunlight, remained strikingly eye-catching.

A few hundred paces from the cavalry's patrol area, amidst withered grass and wild trees, several furtive heads peeked out, gazing at the imposing cavalry in the distance.

But their gazes were fixed on that imposing black banner...

The heads quickly retreated into the grass, followed by a rustling sound as several figures moved swiftly towards a nearby grove of trees.

The figure disappeared into the woods only briefly before the sound of receding hooves echoed from within.

……

Twenty li south of Shenjing lies Wawu Town.

In the town, there was a wealthy mansion, heavily guarded with soldiers inside and out. This was Man Hai's temporary lodging, and the owner of the mansion had naturally been killed long ago.

Yesterday, Man Hai's cavalry trampled Jiafeng Town and Yushan Village, wiping out the inhabitants within a 60-mile radius, and also plundered a large amount of grain and supplies.

In the main hall of the mansion, Man Hai was studying a map and giving instructions to his deputy general.

He has already dispatched two hundred scouts in plain clothes to spy around and gather information on the capital's external supply lines and grain routes, so that he can send troops to intercept and harass the capital.

The two men, dressed in the casual clothes of ordinary people of the Great Zhou Dynasty, hurriedly entered the main room. Man Hai recognized them as personal guards and scouts who had been sent out to spy on the movements around the capital.

He asked, "If we return now, will we discover any military intelligence?"

One of them said, “Your Highness, we have been ordered to explore northwards and have infiltrated to a place one mile southeast of Shenjing.”

Seeing that the four gates of the capital were tightly closed, the walls were covered with swords and spears, and heavy troops were gathered everywhere, the city was heavily guarded.

As instructed by the second prince, we approached the gunpowder workshop in the east of the city to investigate, and found that the workshop's doors were closed and no one was going in or out.

However, it was heavily guarded, with five or six hundred soldiers, all elite Zhou imperial guards. The defenses were tight, and anyone who approached the workshop was driven away.

The Earl of Weiyuan of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Jia Cong, personally led a large cavalry force to patrol and guard the area around the firearms workshop.

There must be important firearms hidden in the workshop, otherwise the Zhou people wouldn't have been so heavily guarded, with even Jia Cong personally overseeing the defenses.

Upon hearing Jia Cong's name, Man Hai's eyes gleamed with a terrifying light, and he asked urgently, "Can you see clearly? It really is Marquis Weiyuan, Jia Cong!"

The scout then said, "I dare not get too close, lest the Zhou army notice us. We are hundreds of paces apart and cannot see each other's faces clearly."

However, these cavalrymen were extremely skilled and not ordinary soldiers; they must have been Jia Cong's elite personal guards.

Moreover, the banner bearing the name of the general in the cavalry is Jia Cong's. I can read Chinese characters, so I would never mistake it..." (End of Chapter)