The Red Mansion Big Liar.

Chapter 761: Reward Controversy
Because the emperor left a tail for the arrangement of escort soldiers during the September morning court session, the court was arguing endlessly about this topic.

After this battle, firearms showed their power. Such an army that was familiar with the tactics and had defeated the Red Hairs naturally became a hot commodity in the eyes of the generals.

However, the emperor was also hesitant.

Considering trust, Duke Qing Qi Yuandao is naturally his first choice.

Although he was not in the same league as the four kings and eight dukes, he was, after all, a man of military merit.

If this army is also handed over to him to lead, it will definitely be even more powerful.

The war in Guangdong and Guangxi was still before his eyes, and he was not at ease with whoever he handed over this team to.

It is obvious that disbanding the army on the spot would not convince the people.

After much deliberation, he finally made up his mind to disband this team and integrate it into the Eight Guards of the Beijing Camp.

On the one hand, although they were all under the jurisdiction of the Jiedushi of the Beijing Camp, each of the Eight Guards had its own commander.

Moreover, the eight guards of the Beijing Camp guard the capital. Apart from the imperial guards guarding the imperial city, the Beijing Camp has the highest status in the army. There is no chance of being questioned about not being rewarded for meritorious services, or being promoted in name only and demoted in reality.

On the other hand, the Beijing camp is still using cold weapons. Even if the weapons need to be replaced, it will take a certain amount of time. Incorporating these people in is equivalent to removing the firearms and becoming a toothless tiger. Even if someone has ulterior motives, they cannot cause much trouble.

By the time most of the troops have completed the replacement of weapons, the overall strength of the Great Xia Dynasty's army will have risen, and the importance of these people will have been weakened.

However, despite this, the emperor was also worried about Zhang Yun逸's attitude.

After all, outside the capital, there is a railway guard team of about 3,000 people that has long been equipped with firearms.

Therefore, before the rewarded team returned to Beijing, the emperor tentatively spread some news.

……

October twenty-eight.

There was a long line in front of Ningrong Street.

This year's trip to the hot springs came earlier than in previous years.

Zhang Yunyi, who was at the center of the storm, not only turned a deaf ear to the rumors, but instead took his entire family and headed for a hot spring villa outside the city.

I don’t know whether it was because the royal family had endless ways to save their lives, or because the emperor was relying on his willpower to hold on for a long time.

Although the emperor had not been able to attend court since the September meeting, his life was still hanging on.

And as news came that the railway guards would be disbanded and incorporated into the Beijing camp, and the number of people in the railway guards would be strictly limited.

Zhang Yun逸 couldn't help but feel wary.

Although, to a certain extent, the emergence of this rumor actually indicated that the emperor did not want to get rid of him once and for all.

Otherwise, it would not alert the enemy.

But to be on the safe side, Zhang Yun逸 was unwilling to take the risk and stay in the city.

On the one hand, the emperor's life was in danger, and no one could guarantee that he would not make any stupid moves in the heat of the moment.

On the other hand, the soldiers were about to return to the capital, and he could not guarantee whether any trouble would arise as a result of resisting the order to disband.

Unfortunately, the soldiers returning to Beijing at this moment are the focus of competition among all parties, but he needs to avoid suspicion and it is inconvenient for him to send anyone to contact them.

Fortunately, he would stay at the hot spring villa for a short time almost every winter, and last year he even brought his family to the Rongguo Mansion for a trip.

Although it’s a little earlier this year, the momentum is large enough but not too eye-catching.

Although it was bound to arouse suspicion, Zhang Yunyi didn't care.

They even built a simple reception room in front of the hot spring villa and started working from home.

A team of railway guards was also secretly dispatched to stand guard outside the hot spring villa.

…The twenty-sixth day of the winter month.

"Several storms, several springs and autumns..."

Not far from Dongzhimen, the escort camp that was returning to Beijing to receive rewards was flying colorful flags and loud singing echoed inside and outside the camp.

The victorious soldiers were all valiant and held their heads high.

Suddenly, a ceremonial procession carrying an imperial decree, beating drums and gongs, slowly drove into the camp.

"Line up!"

The soldiers who had been singing just now immediately lined up in an orderly manner.

"Your Majesty is not in good health and cannot come in person to reward the soldiers, so I have ordered me to come and read out your will!"

Xia Shouzhong dismounted and made a brief opening speech with a smile on his face. He then unfolded the imperial edict and read it out in a hoarse voice: "The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, decrees..."

After he finished reading out the imperial edict in a rhythmic manner, the camp, which had been silent just now, suddenly exploded as if water had splashed in an frying pan.

"What a shitty reward!"

"Who wants to join the damn Beijing camp?"

"Then, will we not be able to serve under the Duke of Wei in the future?"

"My whole family is under the command of Duke Wei. Now that I have come back from killing the enemy, I am excluded?"

"At least you have someone in your family who is under the command of the Duke. I am the only one in my family, and my brother has been clamoring to go to Jinmen Academy. Isn't it..."

……

It was also because Zhang Yunyi's efforts to win people's hearts were too effective.

The soldiers had just returned from the battlefield, and the blood and smoke had not yet completely dissipated, so they were easily ignited.

Faced with the excited crowd in front of him, Xia Shouzhong was so frightened that his legs went weak, his face was horrified, and he was speechless.

However, Xia Shouzhong was loyal to the emperor after all. After a brief moment of distraction, he quickly grasped the key point, forcibly suppressed the panic in his heart, and shouted in a stern voice: "Silence! The decree is the result of a discussion between Your Majesty and Duke Wei. If you disobey the decree, wouldn't it be accusing Duke Wei of being disloyal and unjust?"

After he shouted like that, the volume of the voices below was indeed much weaker.

Xia Shouzhong secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and waited for a moment before continuing, "The capital is an important place, and His Majesty has entrusted you with this important task because of your hard work and great contributions. I will convey your demands to His Majesty and Duke Wei..."

Having said this, he paused, then urged in a hoarse voice: "Hurry up and accept the decree and thank the emperor!"

Yunshan, Yunhai and other generals looked at each other, and finally, with a group of reluctant soldiers, they accepted the order and expressed their gratitude.

Xia Shouzhong, who had barely completed the task of announcing the imperial edict, was already breaking out in a cold sweat. He staggered to the side of the horse, but could not get on the horse because his legs were weak.

Finally, as a last resort, he called a few eunuchs to guide him, and he finally climbed onto the horse.

After the ceremonial procession left the camp, he ignored the cold sweat on his body and rode his horse at full speed back to the palace to report what had happened.

The soldiers in the camp saw his ugly behavior just now and felt even more disdainful of him.

Suddenly someone shouted, "Don't be fooled by this spineless bastard. Let's go ask Duke Wei if this is what the Duke meant!"

"Correct!"

This voice immediately attracted a crowd of echoes.

"We're setting up camp. We can't just block the city gate..."

Just like that, not long after Xia Shouzhong's ceremonial procession left to announce the decree, the main camp also set out, moving slowly towards the hot spring villa in the west of the city.

……

(End of this chapter)