The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Shandong did not have a governor, but the governor was the highest military, political and administrative chief. The full title of the Governor of Shandong was the Governor of Shandong and other places, who was in charge of military operations and rivers, and his power was almost equal to that of the governor.

As the highest authority in Shandong Province, Lin Ruhai ordered the Shandong general to lead his troops south to garrison at the main transportation routes between Shandong and Jiangsu to prevent the White Lotus rebels from invading Shandong from the north when the Shuirong rebels captured Xuzhou.

Lin Ruhai's arrangement at the border between the two provinces came in handy, and the Shandong government troops defeated the White Lotus rebels who had violated the border. But he never dreamed that the Shandong general would be so stupid as to pursue the White Lotus rebels with only a few hundred cavalrymen, and ended up being ambushed, resulting in the death of all the senior officers of the Shandong general's office, and the entire battle situation collapsed in an instant.

By the time Lin Ruhai received the military report, the capital of Yizhou Prefecture had been captured.

Lin Ruhai was so angry that he almost vomited blood. While asking the court for help, he also mobilized the patrol battalions of various prefectures and personally led the patrol battalions of Jinan and Tai'an to rush to Qufu for assistance.

As it was the hottest time of the year and it was noon, the sun was blazing brightly. There was no one on the post road and the sound of cicadas chirping filled the air.

From the distance on the post road, the sounds of horse hooves and footsteps could be heard, accompanied by the vibration of the ground. They became louder and louder as they got closer, and the cicadas lying in the big trees on both sides stopped chirping.

A large flag drooped limply appeared, followed by a group of government troops who looked like defeated soldiers, each of them with greasy sweat on their head, incomplete clothes and armor, and looking extremely embarrassed.

In the crowd, Sun Yang led twelve personal soldiers to closely guard Lin Ruhai. Although each of them had sweat all over their heads, they were all alert and vigilant.

Lin Ruhai, wearing the official uniform of the governor, was sitting on a white horse with sweat on his face.

The team was moving slower and slower. Sun Yang saw a stream flowing by the road ahead, so he said to Lin Ruhai, "Master, stop for a while and drink some water before you go on."

Although Lin Ruhai was extremely anxious, he also knew that if he went any further some soldiers would suffer from heatstroke, so he nodded.

Sun Yang said to the soldiers around him, "Pass on the master's order. Stop for a moment, drink some water and wash your face before leaving."

The personal soldier squeezed his legs together, rode his horse forward and passed on the general's order.

The sun was scorching and the heat was unbearable. The soldiers of the patrol camp could hardly hold on any longer. Upon hearing the military order, they immediately cheered. Then all the soldiers dropped their weapons almost at the same time, ran towards the stream, took off their clothes that had already been soaked, drank water, and wiped their bodies with the stream water.

Looking at the weapons all over the ground, Lin Ruhai sighed deeply and looked into the distance with worried eyes.

Sun Yang: "Master, wash your face and cool down."

Lin Ruhai shook his head, dismounted from his horse, walked to a big tree nearby and sat down.

Sun Yang winked at one of his personal soldiers.

The soldier understood and rode his horse upstream of the stream.

Sun Yang handed the horse to his personal soldiers to take away to eat some water and grass, and he unfolded his folding fan and gently fanned Lin Ruhai: "Master has tried his best. If Qufu cannot be saved, then it is God's will that cannot be violated."

Lin Ruhai glanced at him and said, "You can read more military books if you have nothing to do."

Sun Yang laughed: "As a captain of the personal guards, why should I read those military books?"

Lin Ruhai: "You will go back sooner or later"

Sun Yang: "I don't have so many ideas. Being a captain of the personal guards is good. Anyway, the master will live with the second master when he comes to Beijing. I will also be the captain of the personal guards for the master and protect him when he goes out."

After hearing this, Lin Ruhai smiled.

The soldier came over holding a water bag.

Sun Yang: "Master, drink some water and wash your face."

Lin Ruhai had no choice but to nod.

The military situation was urgent. After only a stick of incense to rest, Lin Ruhai ordered his troops to march out, leading a group of demoralized patrol soldiers towards Qufu.

After crossing the Si River, they reached Qufu. Lin Ruhai felt a little relieved. He had not found any trace of the White Lotus rebels along the way, so Qufu should be fine.

Although it was Lin Ruhai's first time leading troops, he knew that he had to send spies to find out the situation in Qufu before making any deployment.

The sun has set to the west.

After eating their dry food, the soldiers of the patrol battalion adjusted their clothes and armor at the shouts of the officers and formed into battle formations.

Lin Ruhai paced back and forth anxiously in front of the army, stopping from time to time to look at the end of the post road.

The sound of horse hooves could be heard.

Lin Ruhai stopped suddenly.

Everyone stretched their necks to look.

A personal soldier rode his horse towards this side.

Lin Ruhai's face changed. Why did he come back alone? !
Everyone was shocked and then a commotion broke out.

Sun Yang shouted loudly: "Silence!"

The soldier had already rushed to Lin Ruhai, pulled the reins, jumped off his horse, and shouted: "Master, the Second Master is here! He has defeated the White Lotus rebels and is cleaning up the battlefield."

"What?" Lin Ruhai may not have heard clearly, or he may not have believed it, and he stared at the guard with wide eyes. The guard replied loudly: "Second Master led the Hetao Cavalry to defeat the White Lotus rebels who were besieging Qufu. The prefect of Yanzhou and the magistrate of Qufu are commanding the troops to clean up the battlefield. They said that Second Master led the cavalry to chase the White Lotus rebel leader!"

The silence lasted only a moment, and then the soldiers of the patrol camp burst into thunderous cheers!
Lin Ruhai was also excited and said "good" three times in a row!

Sun Yang smiled and said, "Master, let's go to Qufu and wait for the Second Master."

Lin Ruhai responded "Okay", mounted his horse, and led everyone towards Qufu.

The setting sun has lost its dazzling light, and it shines dimly on Qufu County and the battlefield outside the city.

The weather was hot and all the dead bodies had to be burned immediately.

Ox carts loaded with dead bodies drove away into the distance.

Accompanied by the prefect of Yanzhou, the magistrate of Qufu and a group of officials, Lin Ruhai inspected the situation and ordered the troops to clean up the battlefield.

The prefect of Yanzhou: "It's a pity that the holy land was burned down. The damn White Lotus rebels, not only did they set the fire, but they also killed so many great Confucian scholars and students. Alas, Confucianism in Qufu is completely finished!"

The Qufu County Magistrate said, "It would be great if the Marquis could arrive one day earlier!"

Lin Ruhai smiled bitterly and shook his head. He knew his son-in-law Li Hu quite well. Even if he arrived earlier, he would not go to rescue Nishan.

Someone whispered, "He's back!"

All eyes looked over there.

In the distance, a group of flying red dots are getting closer and closer.

Li Hu and a group of personal soldiers came on horseback.

Li Hu pulled the reins suddenly, and the big white horse raised its front hooves into the air, snorted, and stopped abruptly.

Wang Daniu and others also reined in their horses.

Except for Lin Ruhai, everyone else knelt down on one leg and bowed with both hands according to etiquette.

Lin Ruhai looked at Li Hu with a smile.

Li Hufei dismounted from his horse and walked quickly to Lin Ruhai: "I, the son-in-law, greet my father-in-law. May you be well!" As he said this, he was about to kneel down.

Lin Ruhai stretched out his hand to stop him: "This is not the place for family etiquette."

Li Hu smiled and said, "Okay, we'll kowtow again when we get back." He waved his hand and said, "Everyone, get up."

Everyone then straightened their backs and stood up.

Lin Ruhai: "Why did it take so long?"

Li Hu: "We also took down Sishui County."

Lin Ruhai: “Oh?”

Li Hu laughed: "The White Lotus leader fled to Sishui City, and the White Lotus rebels who stayed there opened the city gate to welcome us and took him down in one fell swoop."

Lin Ruhai and others were stunned at first, and then they all started laughing.

Li Hu shook his head. These so-called White Lotus rebels were just a group of common people who put down their hoes and picked up weapons. The Hetao cavalry defeated them with just a few rounds of arrows.

After a few pleasantries, the prefect of Yanzhou and the magistrate of Qufu tactfully took their leave.

Lin Ruhai then looked at Li Hu with a rare loving gaze and said, "You have grown taller and stronger."

Li Hu also looked at Lin Ruhai and frowned: "Why have you become so thin?"

Lin Ruhai was stunned at first, then laughed and said, "Nonsense, I eat and drink well every day, and Yu'er also sends people to send me ginseng and cinnamon from time to time. By the way, I drink a glass of the tiger bone wine you brewed every now and then, and I am in good health. Sun Yang, can you tell that I have lost weight?"

Sun Yang: "I am by the master's side every day, unlike the second master who has been away for so many days. At a glance, I naturally feel that the master has changed a lot. However, the master has indeed become much more haggard in the past year or so."

Lin Ruhai was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "The new policy is already on the right track, and the burden on me is much lighter. I can get back on track after a bit of work. Oh, don't tell Yu'er!"

What else could Li Hu say but nodded.

Lin Ruhai changed the subject: "What did the emperor arrange? After we wipe out the White Lotus rebels here, will you go to the south?"

Li Hu: "No, there are a bunch of monsters over there, I might get sold out by someone. I haven't even married Sister Lin yet!"

Lin Ruhai glared at him and then laughed.

Li Hu also smiled and said, "Let's go to the city to talk. Let's eat and talk." Then he took Lin Ruhai's arm and walked towards Qufu. (End of this chapter)