Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 529 Arms Meet at Dingguo Mansion

When the capital was once again stained with ink, the unease that had been submerged at the bottom of the lake slowly began to emerge.

At the nine gates of the capital, soldiers and armor poured out like a tide beneath the majestic city walls.

By the time the garrison officer noticed something was wrong, it was already too late.

Prince Teng, the commander of the Beijing garrison, has already led his personal guards to seize the gate.

Holding a torch high, which illuminated the fierce look on his face, he shouted to the soldiers on and below the city wall: "By order of the Crown Prince, there has been a disturbance in the capital. Prince Teng, the commander of the Beijing Garrison, has come to defend the palace gates. Open the city gates immediately!"

The city gates were not yet fully closed, and the few hundred soldiers below the gate tower were no match for the thousands of government troops behind Prince Teng.

When Prince Teng produced the imperial edict, the soldiers at the city gate had no intention of resisting.

"Open the city gate!"

"Open the city gate!"

The shouts rose and fell like waves, one after another.

The soldiers on the city wall kept a close eye on their superiors.

The garrison officer gripped his weapon tightly with both hands, his arm veins bulging, but in the end, he had no choice but to compromise.

Unsure of the truth, they dared not act rashly.

"As Commander Wang commands, open the city gates."

"Yes!"

While the soldiers breathed a sigh of relief, they couldn't help but look towards the imperial city, a hint of worry creeping in.

As the city gate slowly reopened, Wang Ziteng's face was filled with smug satisfaction.

Once upon a time, he was also a figure who had made outstanding military achievements.

However, compared to Yue Ling's brilliance, he seemed too dim, and no one paid attention to his achievements.

Relying on the old connections of the Jia family and other powerful figures, he was able to establish himself in the army and secure a decent job.

However, after Yue Ling destroyed the Rongguo Mansion, he was like a rootless duckweed, forced by pressure to side with Yue Ling and become an executioner.

This made it even more difficult for him to stand out among the lineage of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes, and he was seen as a treacherous and wicked person within the civil service system.

In the imperial court, he was scorned, and he feared being purged if he switched allegiances. When the eldest prince contacted him, he felt a sense of gratitude, like a small person being affirmed by someone in power, and his loyalty was beyond measure.

Now, standing on his horse, he is full of vigor and uses the same methods to quickly seize control of the nine gates of the capital.

……

The First Prince's residence, a secret chamber in a passageway.

The candles hanging on the walls were lit all around, casting a dim light that revealed the First Prince Liu An standing before the crowd.

Today he was dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, with soft armor underneath. His slightly bulky figure made the outfit look very constricting.

His mind was now even more tense, and his hand, resting on his sword, was trembling slightly.

Chai Pu, who was standing to one side, said in a deep voice to comfort him, "Your Highness, please rest assured. I'm sure you'll hear good news from the city gates soon."

Liu An was truly uneasy and couldn't help but ask again, "Does Elder Chai know how Vice Minister Ji is doing these days?"

Chai Pu shook his head and said, "Minister Ji is currently entering the city with Commander Wang. If he captures the city gates, he will lead a force to surround Dingguo Prefecture."

"There shouldn't be any mistakes. His Highness will be able to learn the details when he meets Prince Teng."

Liu An calmed himself down and nodded, saying, "Very well, all thanks to Elder Chai's planning. Once this matter is settled, I will certainly reward Elder Chai with honors, and his descendants will enjoy endless wealth and prosperity!"

Chai Pu bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

He appeared to flatter her on the surface, but Chai Pu harbored ulterior motives deep down.

The eldest prince is indeed easy to fool, and he has even been given power. Now he is about to be pushed onto the stage, which makes him sigh with regret.

Such indecisiveness makes it difficult for him to ascend the throne, but who knows if he and Shui Rong have both taken a liking to the more patient Third Prince, and whether they will settle scores with the two of them after the deed is done.

Shui Rong must have already planned this, while Chai Pu, who had little contact with the Third Prince from beginning to end, still needed to reveal his identity on the battlefield.

He glanced at the two servants behind him, who immediately lowered their heads as if they understood, concealing their cold and sharp gazes, and placed their hands on the crescent-shaped blades at their waists.

Seeing that Chai Pu was accompanied by other people for the first time, Liu An was also surprised and couldn't help but ask, "Old Chai, who are these two people behind you?"

Chai Pu explained, "They are my nephews and nieces. They came here to help me and to protect me."

Although Liu An did not practice martial arts, he had still seen what martial arts practitioners looked like.

At first glance, one can see the two men's strong physiques beneath their loose robes, which are so well supported that there are no wrinkles.

Although Liu An had doubts, now was not the time to pursue them. He nodded and said, "Although the Chai family has failed the imperial examinations, there are still martial arts practitioners among their children. So why worry about the family's decline?"

Chai Pu was at a loss for words, but just then, a man strode into the passageway with imposing presence.

Everyone made way for them.

The newcomer shook his long robe, bowed deeply, and said, "Your subject, Prince Teng, Commander of the Capital Garrison, pays his respects to Your Highness."

Seeing such a valiant general undoubtedly reassured Liu An.

With trembling hands, Liu An helped Wang Ziteng up. He had long forgotten what had just happened and said repeatedly, "Good, good, General Wang has come at just the right time."

Then he asked, "I wonder what the situation is like inside the city now?"

Wang Ziteng clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "I have successfully completed my mission and have taken full control of the nine gates of the capital."

"The generals guarding Dongzhimen and Chaoyangmen are all old friends of mine. When they saw me leading a large army, they immediately changed their allegiance and pledged allegiance to Your Highness."

"As for the guards of Zhengyang Gate and Desheng Gate, they were His Majesty's confidants. After a surprise attack and fierce fighting, they were fortunate enough to fulfill their mission and were all captured. My deputy is now guarding the city gates in their place."

"Lord Ji personally led two detachments of troops, with three commanders as his lieutenants, and has already surrounded Dingguo Prefecture. There should be no problems."

Liu An nodded emphatically and looked back at Chai Pu.

Chai Pu immediately cupped his hands and said, "Congratulations, Your Highness, the first step has been taken."

Liu An was finally able to relax a little, but he quickly recovered and took another deep breath.

After all, he would soon be facing his father, the emperor.

This hesitant demeanor was observed by everyone nearby.

Liu An regained his composure and gradually calmed down. He said to Wang Ziteng, "General, the rest is entirely up to you. If things go well, I will certainly not be stingy with the promises that Elder Chai made to you earlier."

Prince Teng was so excited that his face flushed. This was an opportunity for the Wang family to rise to prominence. "Your subject obeys!"

……

Meanwhile, outside the capital, the sound of iron hooves echoed along the official roads.

Thousands of cavalrymen, led by the Second Prince Liu Yi, were charging straight toward the city gate, carrying banners and weapons.

The cavalry had marched at full speed and carried no extra baggage, so they arrived outside the capital a few hours earlier than previously estimated.

All of this was thanks to Liu Yi's decisiveness. He knew early on that the news of returning to the capital could not be kept secret. When he was blocked at the Tongzhou camp, Liu Yi decisively abandoned the main army and led a light cavalry directly over the mountains and valleys to return to the capital.

When they were less than ten miles from the East Gate of the capital, the Prince of Nan'an rode up to Liu Yi's side and called out loudly, "Your Highness, Your Highness, the banners are waving on the city gate tower ahead. Even if no one has set up an ambush beforehand, there must be soldiers guarding the city to block us from entering the city. It is not advisable to force our way in."

Liu Yi certainly did not lose his mind; on the contrary, he appeared exceptionally clear-headed in this unexpected situation.

“Your Highness is absolutely right. If we were to forcefully attack the city gates, we would be putting ourselves in an unjust position, and our reputation for ‘purging the court of corrupt officials’ would be even more untenable.”

"However, does Your Highness have a good plan now?"

The Prince of Nan'an, holding the reins, lowered his head to avoid the wind and waves, and shouted with difficulty, "Your Highness, you are unaware that there are many secret passages in the capital. In the past, His Majesty also used this trick to allow his family to bypass the encirclement of Prince Kang."

"As it happens, I also know of a passageway that can allow us to enter the capital smoothly. People can pass through, but horses cannot. When we arrive at the capital, I'm afraid we won't gain any advantage."

Liu Yi replied, "At this point, it is no longer time to argue about which is better or worse. If we do not enter the city, there will be no room for maneuver."

"As the Prince of Nan'an said, order everyone to abandon their horses and enter the city through the tunnel."

"Yes!"

……

Outside Dingguo Mansion,

After parting ways with Prince Teng, Ji Bin led a force of several thousand men straight to Dingguo Mansion.

Along the way, he didn't "gag himself or let his horse's hooves get caught," but instead, he carried torches and openly surrounded the Dingguo Mansion.

It wasn't just that he bribed the soldiers of the Military Command along the way to replenish the troops.

Moreover, in his mind, having nearly five thousand men against an enemy of eight hundred was a real advantage for him.

Although he was a frail scholar, everyone dreams of becoming a general or prime minister, and this opportunity to lead troops made Ji Bin even more excited.

He was particularly envious of the wealth of the Dingguo Mansion.

As someone behind the scenes of Shanxi merchants, he clearly knew why they had gradually declined over the years and who had embezzled their wealth.

In his eyes, Dingguo Mansion was like a vast treasure trove.

As for what the eldest prince told Chai Pu—that the lives of the Dingguo family members should not be harmed—Ji Bin had long since forgotten about it.

If we don't capture their families, then all this trip will have been for nothing.
"Surround Dingguo Mansion tightly, so that not even a mosquito can fly out."

Ji Bin rode ahead, smugly giving orders: "On my command, you will attack multiple gates of the mansion simultaneously. I will ensure that these eight hundred men cannot defend themselves from both ends and die within this mansion!"

The accompanying commander couldn't help but ask, "Forgive my bluntness, but before Commander Wang left, he warned us not to rashly wage war against the Dingguo Prefecture."

"The personal guards of the Dingguo Mansion were personally trained by the Duke of Dingguo. Each one of them is highly skilled and capable of taking on a hundred men. They are even equipped with firearms. We cannot defeat them by force; we can only engage them in prolonged combat."

"Yes."

Another commander standing nearby said, "In my opinion, we should clear out the houses in the nearby alleys and use them as a base to prevent the Dingguo Mansion's guards from going out to provide assistance."

"Once we enter the narrow alley, we will unleash a barrage of arrows. No matter how strong he is, he will not be able to advance through the rain of arrows."

Ji Bin smiled and said, "You two are generals who maintain the status quo. Do you know why we have raised troops tonight?"

"It is to help the eldest prince quell the rebellion."

Where is the rebellion taking place?

"They're saying the Second Prince will be coming to the capital..."

Have you seen the Second Prince?

The officers looked at each other, their faces slightly stunned, and for a moment they were speechless.

Ji Bin spoke frankly: "To tell you the truth, His Highness is pursuing a great cause today, and his purpose in leading troops into the city is to seize power through a palace coup."

“Commander Wang led the troops to advance and made a contribution to the cause. How can we, who are just maintaining the status quo, share in the credit? We are afraid that we are not even a drop in the ocean.”

After saying that, the three men were indeed persuaded by Ji Bin's eloquent words and their minds became much more active.

Looking at the walls of the Dingguo Mansion, which were nearly three people high, Ji Bin earnestly instructed, "With Your Highness's ascension to the throne, the Duke of Dingguo is the biggest obstacle. If we can break into the mansion and capture the Dingguo family members alive, it will be enough to make the Duke of Dingguo lay down his sword and negotiate with Your Highness."

"Especially if we can defeat the soldiers trained by the Duke of Dingguo, wouldn't that prove that we are no less capable? We have already surrounded them, and they have no way to deal with it. Even if they do, it will only be a desperate struggle."

"Moreover, even Lord Lin of the manor is still at the Duzheng Hall handling state affairs today. How can a group of women command their personal guards?"

"Can't you defeat this headless army?"

One of the commanders chimed in, “In that case, it might not be difficult to defeat him. Even if he has firearms, my two brothers and I are familiar with them, and they have many drawbacks, such as the inability to fire in rapid succession. Meanwhile, our army has the numerical advantage.”

"If we launch a direct assault, we can scale this low wall even by forming a human ladder."

“Breaking down the door with a giant log is also an option,” another commander chimed in.

One person remained silent. To unite the entire army, Ji Bin added, "As long as you break down the gates, you can choose whatever you like from the treasury. This is the spoils of the surrendered rebels, and His Highness will certainly not hold you accountable. In fact, he will even promote you and grant you titles!"

Corner tower.

The changes might not be noticeable from outside the mansion, but from inside, the changes to the courtyard walls are quite obvious.

At Xue Baochai's request, the old wall was reinforced again, and new iron wire was installed at the top of the courtyard wall, with broken glass shards preventing others from climbing over.

Even the corner tower was renovated.

Such preparations for war made the guards even more cautious, and no matter what time of night it was, there was always someone on guard at the corner tower.

When the flickering torches appeared in the alley, they immediately alerted the guards, who repeatedly called out to those around them, "Quickly inform the mansion that thieves have surrounded it, and tell the ladies to take refuge as soon as possible."

……

inner hall,

Lin Daiyu lay alone on the couch, her hands folded in front of her, her eyes closed.

Despite being tense during the day, she slept very soundly at night.

And she's having a wonderful dream.

In her dream, she and Yue Ling played music in perfect harmony, enjoying all the joys of family life.

Then her children were born, and Lin Daiyu counted them and found that there were five.

Others praised her for being fertile, but she was too embarrassed to speak, thinking she was some kind of livestock ready for market, having five offspring in one litter.

"Sister Lin, Sister Lin, wake up, wake up!"

As if someone was calling her from the side, Lin Daiyu slowly woke up, and indeed the five dolls from before were all a dream.

What immediately caught my eye was Shi Xiangyun's anxious and uneasy face.

"Sister Lin, thieves are surrounding the mansion and seem to have ill intentions towards the mansion!"

Lin Daiyu suddenly woke up, sat up, her delicate brows furrowed, "They really came!"

(End of this chapter)