Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

It is located 20 li southeast of Shenjing, north of Wawu Town.

The army was assembled, exuding a murderous aura. Swords and spears stood in a forest, and warhorses galloped, as if they were about to charge and slaughter like a tidal wave at any moment.

The 20,000 elite Mongol cavalrymen, who had been lying in wait for many days, were like arrows drawn from a bow, finally reaching the final moment of preparation.

Upon hearing the scout's report, Man Hai's eyes flickered slightly, and he asked, "Have there been any reinforcements being sent to the city these past few days?"

The scout said, "No additional soldiers have been deployed. The current force guarding the workshop consists of over eight hundred infantry and cavalry."

However, carriages and horses drove out of the city daily, all covered by curtains and escorted by soldiers, traveling between the city and the firearms workshops.

Man Hai asked solemnly, "Are you sure the leader of the army is Marquis Weiyuan, Jia Cong?"

The scout said, "Before we set off, we saw a portrait of Jia Cong, although it is somewhat different from the real person."

However, the leader of the army was a young general, who looked very young, wearing a bright armor of a general, and riding a fine horse from Ferghana.

Behind him followed the banners of the officers, and the soldiers treated him with great respect. He commanded the cavalry with discipline and order, and he was definitely not an imposter.

The villain was also worried about mistaking someone for someone else, so he mingled with the refugees outside the city and tried to get as close to the workshop as possible to check.

It just so happened that he was leading his cavalry on a patrol, and when they were a little far from the workshop, the little man happened to see his face clearly.

This man was very handsome and dashing; it was rare to see a man with such a refined appearance. He bore a striking resemblance to the portrait, about seven or eight parts like Jia Cong.

Man Hai laughed and said, "Jia Cong was once the chief clerk of the peace negotiations of the Great Zhou Dynasty and frequently visited the Mongol delegation's residence."

That portrait of him was secretly drawn by our mission's painter, and I never imagined it would actually come in handy now.

Everyone says that Jia Cong is exceptionally handsome, comparable to Pan An and Song Yu among Han Chinese, and members of the mission mentioned this upon their return.

Who else could be so handsome? It is said that he was born into a lowly family, and his mother was a beautiful courtesan. He was born looking like his mother, which is why he was born with such a bird-like appearance.

This man is definitely Jia Cong, there's no mistake now. Once I capture him, I'll see what he looks like, hahaha…”

When the guards around him saw Man Hai making loud sarcastic remarks, they also laughed, but because of the strict military discipline, they did not dare to be too unrestrained.

……

The adjutant beside him said, "Second Prince, we led our troops to infiltrate Wawu Town and controlled the surrounding area for fifty or sixty miles. All the survivors have been killed."

The Zhou people did not know where our army was stationed. In their eyes, the outskirts of the capital were safe and sound. Even so, they still sent nearly a thousand men to guard the workshops.

Even the Earl of Weiyuan, Jia Cong, personally took precautions. In my humble opinion, the workshop must be manufacturing powerful firearms, otherwise it wouldn't be so heavily guarded.

The carriages and horses traveling to and from the city every day were covered by curtains, mostly transporting materials for firearms construction or bringing completed firearms back into the city.

Second Prince, these firearms are of utmost importance, and most of them will be used in the war against the Mongols, which is why Earl Jia Cong of Weiyuan personally guards them.

The second prince is cautious in his actions. For three consecutive days, we have sent out scouts to closely monitor the activities of the firearms workshop. Their actions are quite disciplined.

I believe the time is ripe and the Second Prince should make a decision soon. The attack should not be delayed any longer, lest this excellent opportunity be missed.

If they transport all the completed firearms back into the city, Jia Cong will also retreat into the city, and our army's long-planned strategy will have yielded nothing.

……

Man Hai said, "What you say makes sense. Although our army brought a lot of military rations, the 20,000 troops are being consumed very quickly."

A few days ago, we swept through Wawu Town, Jiafeng Town, and Yushan Village, and obtained a lot of food and supplies, but this is not a permanent solution.

Because we need to target Jia Cong and the firearms workshop, and in order not to alert them and expose our army's movements, our 20,000 troops have been lying in wait for several days.

These past few days we haven't been able to move our troops around, and we're just sitting around eating away at our reserves. The daily food consumption of our 20,000 cavalry is staggering.

We can't afford to keep dragging this out any longer. We need to capture Jia Cong and the firearms workshop as soon as possible so that our army can determine its next offensive plan.

Otherwise, if supplies run out and the 20,000-strong army is trapped, this long-range raid will become an unforeseen and difficult situation to resolve.

"Issue my order: leave two thousand-man squads to guard the grain and supplies stockpiled in Wawu Town; the remaining eighteen thousand troops will accompany me on the attack!"

……

The adjutant beside him said, "Second Prince, Jia Cong has only a thousand men under his command. I have three thousand-man squads, which is enough to surround and capture him alive."

Is sending the entire army to attack an overstatement? Even if he were equipped with firearms, the majority of his troops were infantry, who simply couldn't withstand a cavalry force several times their size.

Man Hai laughed and said, "Although Jia Cong is a master of firearms, firearms are not heavenly punishment thunder. They may have some power, but most of them are exaggerated."

With his small force, how much can he accomplish? Does he deserve the utmost effort from my tens of thousands of Mongol warriors to come out against him? He's not qualified!

Although Jia Cong has less than a thousand men under his command, Shenjing is the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and there are at least 100,000 troops in the city. We should not underestimate him.

Jia Cong is an important figure in the Great Zhou Dynasty. If several thousand men are sent to besiege him, the capital city will surely send troops to his aid. In that case, if we cannot achieve victory in one battle, there will definitely be unforeseen complications.

Although there are many soldiers and horses in the north of Shenjing City, the Great Zhou has always been short of warhorses. In previous years, when it traded with the Mongols, most of the horses exchanged were stallions.

We exchange very few mares, and even those that do are mostly tampered with, rarely giving birth normally.

Therefore, the Zhou cavalry was very limited. Most of the cavalry had been transferred to the three northern passes. Even though Shenjing was the capital of the Zhou people, there were at most five thousand cavalrymen, which was the limit.

If I only send out three thousand-man squads, they will most likely still have a fighting chance, making it difficult to capture Jia Cong alive.

However, our army sent out 18,000 cavalry in full force, and the Zhou people, caught off guard, had no cavalry to match them. They didn't even dare to open the city gates.

Otherwise, if our cavalry is too powerful and they are unable to reach the city after they set out, and our army breaks through the city gates, wouldn't the war between the two states become a joke?

Therefore, as long as we send out our entire army, the Zhou people will be afraid to fight and, in order to protect the capital, will most likely have to abandon Jia Cong, thus increasing our chances of a decisive victory!

……

The adjutant suddenly realized something and said, "This humble general is ignorant, but the second prince is a strategist, decisive and brave. He will surely win this battle."

If the second prince can capture Jia Cong alive, it will not only make the Zhou people lose face, but also demoralize the garrison at the three northern passes, and give the Mongols the power of firearms.

This is a monumental achievement, and the Great Khan will surely reward him handsomely. Among all the princes of the Tuman tribe, the Second Prince's reputation and prestige will be unmatched.

Man Hai smiled smugly, saying, "The fact that the eldest prince was able to break through Xuanfu Town is the greatest achievement of our southward campaign. It was a perfect opportunity, and it is truly enviable."

Although he expressed envy and his words were arrogant and domineering, there was not a trace of envy in him, only unruliness and disdain.

The deputy general was also a veteran in the army and knew all the messy things inside the Tuman tribe. As the deputy of the Manhai tribe, he naturally knew his thoughts.

He laughed and said, "The capture of Xuanfu Town was certainly due to the proper use of troops, but it was also thanks to the Sun family's spies who planted an inside agent in the city; otherwise, it would have been difficult to succeed."

The Second Prince's extraordinary feat in defeating Jia Cong and the firearms workshop is truly remarkable. As the Han Chinese proverb goes, "It is easy to find a thousand soldiers, but difficult to find a good general."

Jia Cong is a renowned minister and military general of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and his importance naturally surpasses that of the Xuanfu Garrison. This humble general first congratulates the Second Prince on his achievements.

Upon hearing this, Man Hai was extremely pleased with himself and couldn't help but laugh loudly, saying arrogantly, "The entire army will attack! If we win this battle, everyone will be richly rewarded!"

……

In the eastern suburbs of Shenjing City, at the Ministry of Works' firearms workshop.

On the wasteland south of the workshop, Jia Cong led three hundred elite cavalrymen, galloping back and forth to drill in formation, their actions meticulous and rigorous.

The cavalry charged forward, circled around, halted to fire, or mounted to retreat, displaying skillful tactical maneuvers and synchronized advances and retreats.

Jia Cong was ordered to lead 6,000 Shenji Battalion soldiers into battle in a hasty manner, so he and his soldiers were actually quite unfamiliar with each other's training and coordination.

Although he took every opportunity during the march to strengthen his bond with his troops, the time was too short to achieve the desired effect.

Moreover, his strategy for dealing with the enemy, which aimed for a decisive victory, relied heavily on the efficient command of two thousand musketeer cavalry.

For the two thousand cavalry to exert their combat power, they must be proficient in tactical maneuvers so that they can move freely in and out of battle at critical moments.

When Jia Cong decided to return to defend against the enemy and led his troops to infiltrate Shijia Tushan to secretly compete with the remnant Mongol army, he actually seized the opportunity.

In fact, the 300 elite cavalrymen patrolling each day are not a single group; they are rotated at least three times a day, ensuring that all 2,000 cavalrymen on Shijiatu Mountain receive proper training.

Even with the scouting of the remnants of the Ming Dynasty, it was not too difficult to carry out this task in secret, because the earthen mound of the shaman was north of the workshop and closer to the east city wall.

Because the scouts of the Mongol tribes dared not get too close to the workshops in order to conceal their movements, they would naturally miss details. As long as Jia Cong deliberately created a diversion, he could secretly make his move. Every day, he led three hundred elite cavalry guards to ride and train back and forth. It was quite common for the cavalry to occasionally circle around to the back of Shijia Mountain, and no one would pay attention to it.

However, each time the cavalry circled around, the earthen mound would perfectly block their view, and the remaining scouts, peering southward, could not discover what was happening behind the mound.

Jia Cong took advantage of these gaps to rotate the three hundred cavalrymen at least six times a day, ensuring that all two thousand cavalrymen could participate in combat drills and training.

Although he had only been back for three days, the two thousand cavalrymen had already undergone reorganization and training. Based on Jia Cong's simulated battle, they were all thoroughly familiar with the enemy's tactics and techniques.

Although the level of proficiency was not fully refined due to time constraints, the highly targeted drills allowed the two thousand cavalrymen to be fully prepared for battle.

Jia Cong returned to the firearms workshop, waiting for any unusual movements from the enemy. Clearly, the remnant Mongol general of Wawu Town was no ordinary person and acted with great caution.

Jia Cong waited patiently for three days, but the enemy did not make any rash moves. This made Jia Cong feel fortunate, but at the same time, he became more cautious and wary of the enemy general.

This pre-battle stalemate is a complex and contradictory feeling, where one hopes the other side will be too cautious and not dare to attack hastily, giving the other side the necessary time to train.

However, the cautious and shrewdness of the Mongol generals put him under immense pressure, making this battle all the more difficult.

The distance between the firearms workshop and Wawu Town is twenty miles, with undulating terrain that even a telescope cannot fully capture.

But the generals on both sides had already begun a battle of wits and courage, unseen by any means, and the slightest difference could lead to a completely different outcome, thus influencing the course of the battle in the unseen realm...

…………

After the cavalry training was completed, all the cavalrymen dismounted to rest and lit a fire to cook lunch.

Jia Cong was still walking among the cavalry, loudly saying, "Everyone is resting during wartime. The first thing to do is check the weapons, make sure the firearms are in good working order, and count the remaining ammunition."

If you notice anything amiss, immediately inform the quartermaster so that supplies can be replenished or replaced promptly. Developing this wartime habit could save your lives.

The cavalrymen responded with a roar, stopping their chores to check their weapons, and some even test-loaded ammunition to ensure the breechblocks and triggers were working properly.

Jia Cong walked back to the campfire, where Ellie was roasting dry rations. She said, "Yu Zhang, aren't you too stressed? The soldiers are working hard every day without any chance to catch their breath."

Jia Cong said, "If they slack off during training, they could lose their lives in wartime. The tighter we push them now, the more likely they are to survive in wartime."

Ellie listened without saying a word, a smile appearing on her face, and casually handed the heated dry rations to Jia Cong.

Looking at Ellie's beautiful profile, Jia Cong said, "It must have been hard on you, a young lady like you, to come with me on this expedition and have to endure all kinds of hardships."

Ellie smiled and said, "In that case, you should know my good points even more. You have many sisters at home, and they are all good to you and care about you very much."

I also know that you have mistresses outside, such as Miss Qu from Jinling Xinchun. The apprentices I taught were all given to her for her use.

And then there's Miss Zhen, who's disappeared somewhere. She's even more remarkable; she almost became your wife.

But no matter how good they are, they can't be like me, fighting alongside you on the battlefield, risking their lives for you. Don't you think I'm better than them?

When Jia Cong saw Ai Li turn to look at him with a charming smile, even though she was wearing an iron helmet and military uniform, she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

A pair of beautiful, shimmering eyes, with an intoxicating azure hue, held a keen interest and a silent anticipation.

Jia Cong usually shared a tent with her, and they were very close, laughing and talking without restraint. But when he heard this question, he thought about it carefully for a moment.

He reached out and took Ellie's hand, smiling as he said, "They have their advantages, but they don't have any of yours. I'll always remember that."

Ellie smiled brightly, then frowned in disdain: "Hey, you're so cunning. You always use sweet words and are good at making people happy."

But when it comes to important matters, their mouths become incredibly tight, impossible to pry open.

Stop trying to sweet-talk me. Otherwise, you might sell me out one day and I'll still be foolishly counting your money for you.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "I'm telling the truth. Your merits are unique, and no other girl can compare. I've never lied to you."

When Ellie heard the word "unique," she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and sweetness, but then she thought about it again and felt that something was wrong.

He couldn't help but say, "You're wrong. If you don't have to go to war anymore, I won't get any benefits. That won't do."

Actually, Ellie was cheerful and didn't really hold a grudge, but Zhan Xian was a bit boring, so he teased Jia Cong to talk to her.

She exchanged a few casual words, and seeing that Jia Cong didn't say anything, she laughed and said, "Yu Zhang, I asked you a question, why aren't you answering me?"

Suddenly she sensed something was amiss. She saw Jia Cong stand up abruptly, craning his neck to look south, his expression solemn, his face suddenly changing.

Ellie looked at the fire in front of her, the flames flickering eerily, and the ground beneath her feet trembled as if a giant drum was beating.

She immediately realized what was happening and shouted, "Yuzhang, enemy attack! A large cavalry force is charging!"

……

Jia Cong shouted loudly, "The enemy cavalry has launched a surprise attack! The entire army must mount up immediately! Inform the rear guard on the hill to prepare for battle!"

As he gave the orders, he and Ellie jumped onto their warhorses, raised their binoculars, and looked southeast, but no enemy troops appeared in their field of vision.

But on the distant horizon, which seemed empty, a cloud of dust rose up, like a giant yellow dragon roaring menacingly as it swept in!

Jia Cong shouted loudly: "Horse formation, use the workshops and earthen mounds as barriers, load your guns, and do not retreat a single step without my order!"
Jiang Xiaoliu, lead twenty men. Once the two armies clash, prepare five large carts in the workshop and immediately drive towards the earthen hill!

At this moment, the guards officer rushed over and said, "My lord, a large cavalry force is charging into the camp. The momentum is terrifying. There are probably more than five thousand cavalry."

There are no cavalry of this size in the four prefectures surrounding the capital, let alone such a fierce battle formation. It must be the elite cavalry of the remnants of the Mongols attacking. Where did they come from?
"My lord, we must enter the city and take refuge as soon as possible. If we stay out any longer, hundreds of soldiers will be reduced to mincemeat!"

Jia Cong said fiercely, "Let me tell you clearly, the enemy is 20,000 elite cavalry from the remnants of the Mongols. We must not open the city gates now, or the capital will be in grave danger!"
Only by fighting to the death can we survive. As long as you follow my orders, I can ensure your survival.

If you dare to back down in battle and lose your composure, not only will you be unable to enter the city, but even if you manage to escape back, Marquis Zhongjing will surely execute you without mercy. There will be no other way out!
I know you just received fifty powerful crossbows and three thousand bolts. Bring them all to me and gather all the archers to line up behind the spear formation.

"On my command, fill the gaps in the gun emplacements and fire! If you can withstand the enemy's first charge, I will lead them northwest, and you will have a chance to escape!"

……

Just as Jia Cong issued his military orders, five hundred imperial guards and three hundred musketeer cavalrymen near the firearms workshop quickly took up their battle positions, ready to meet the enemy head-on.

The soldiers on the earthen hill, armed with firearms, had their guns loaded and their horses saddled, ready to meet the enemy.

The astonishing commotion on the distant horizon alerted the defenses of Shenjing City, and countless soldiers rushed to the city walls to line up, all gazing southwards in unison.

Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding, led a group of generals and rushed to the east wall upon hearing the news. He gazed at the dust and smoke filling the sky in the distance, his expression becoming unusually solemn.

In just a moment, a black line appeared in the smoke and dust, rapidly thickening and spreading forward like a raging tide, its momentum terrifying, as if it were about to tear the heavens and the earth apart.

The commander of the central army said to Shi Ding, "General, the enemy is coming with great force, and judging from their momentum, they probably number no less than 10,000 cavalry."

The Earl of Weiyuan also led troops to garrison the workshops, along with five hundred imperial guards who were stationed there. They must be allowed to enter the city immediately.

If we delay even a moment longer, they will all die under the brutal Mongol hooves. General, please order the city gates opened to let them in.

Shi Ding's expression was unusually solemn as he said, "I have an agreement with the Earl of Weiyuan that the city gates must not be opened at this moment."

They must prepare for battle, and have selected the elite troops from the five military battalions, stationed at Hongde Gate and Zhengyang Gate, ready to strike at any moment!

The military advisor said, "General, so those elite troops you selected are intended for use at this pass. When will they be able to launch their attack?"

Shi Ding said, "To see how the battle is progressing outside the city, just wait for my orders!"

……

He looked down at the firearms workshop below the city, where Jia Cong was leading three hundred musketeer cavalry and five hundred imperial guards, who were quickly forming ranks to await the enemy.

Before the 800-man army formation, the Imperial Guards' large shields served as a barrier, followed by 300 musketeers, and then the Imperial Guards' crossbowmen.

Shi Ding looked quite worried. Even with the addition of the 1,700 musketeer cavalrymen on Shijia Mountain, Jia Cong had less than 3,000 troops.

Whether they can truly withstand over ten thousand elite cavalry is uncertain. Even if they can hold out for a while, the tug-of-war between the two sides cannot last long.

Although the musket formation was quite powerful, the disparity in troop strength between the two sides was too great, and Shi Ding was uncertain whether the plan could be executed as intended.

Although Jia Cong possessed military knowledge and strategic skills, he was far too audacious. If his plans were to go astray even slightly, he would die in the chaos of battle within a day or two.

How could he explain this to his aunt? Without Jia Cong, the Jia family's two mansions would likely collapse in an instant, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

Shi Ding's mind was unusually grave, and his right hand, gripping the hilt of his sword, was beaded with cold sweat... (End of Chapter)