Red Mansion: Seizing Jiangdong, starting with pirates

Chapter 291, The Jade is Returned to Its Righteous Owner

"It's nothing, just a superficial injury! The patient is too weak; he hasn't eaten for days!"

The doctor diagnosed.

Tian Tianrui quickly thanked the doctor.

Fortunately, Gao Jing was too weak, and the collision only resulted in a superficial injury.

Not long after, Gao Jing woke up and, seeing that he was still alive, wept bitterly again.

Seeing this scene, Tian Tianrui couldn't help but weep as he thought of the contents of the blood edict.

After a long while, Gao Jing stopped crying and recounted his experience.

"After the traitor Fang entered the capital, he imprisoned His Majesty, persecuted loyal officials, spent nights in the inner palace, and raped and humiliated the concubines. His Majesty could not bear the humiliation and, amidst great difficulties, sent out a secret edict to a loyal minister."

Gao Jing then told Tian Tianrui about the assassination plan that Meng Shen and Meng Liang had devised after receiving the imperial edict and contacting them.

Upon hearing this, Tian Tianrui's expression turned grave. Regardless of the success or failure of this plan, Meng Shen and his son Meng Liang would undoubtedly die. He couldn't help but admire Lord Meng's loyalty.

Gao Jing continued, "Unexpectedly, the plot was exposed prematurely. The traitor Fang wielded his butcher's knife, and both Qiu Gong and Yang Gong were brutally murdered. His Majesty was also humiliated. His Majesty ordered me to go to Henan to seek help. With the help of many people, I escaped from the capital with the imperial edict and tokens, and came here to find Lord Tian. But, but..."

As Gao Jing spoke, she started crying again.

Tian Tianrui's eyes were red as he comforted Gao Jing.

Gao Jing said with great sorrow:

"I fled all the way, only concerned with moving forward, but failed to protect the imperial edict. I have let down all the officials who sacrificed their lives in the court!"

Tian Tianrui sighed deeply upon seeing this. The imperial edict was soaked with rain and sweat, blurring the writing. Who could have predicted this?

Suddenly, he thought of something and asked:

"Does Lord Gao know what is said at the end of the imperial edict?"

Gao Jing said, "Of course I know, but the imperial edict has been damaged, and my voice carries little weight..."

Tian Tianrui said, "What's the harm? Lord Gao has risked his life for the country and gone through countless hardships to get here. How could I possibly have any doubts?"

As he spoke, Tian Tianrui turned his gaze to Gao Jing's feet.

The building was already dilapidated and full of cracks, which showed how hard Gao Jing had worked on his journey.

Not only that, there was also that dragon-patterned jade pendant, which was Emperor Longqing's personal jade pendant. Tian Tianrui had seen it before, which proved that what Gao Jing said was true.

Finally, the most convincing proof of his identity was the blood-written letter. Although it was incomplete, the handwriting and writing style at the beginning were undoubtedly from His Majesty's hand. Tian Tianrui was a staunch supporter of Longqing Temple, and he was very familiar with these things!

Seeing this, Gao Jing stopped being coy and revealed the contents of the imperial edict.

"His Majesty has appointed you as the Grand General of the Nine Provinces, giving you control over all the armies in the land. I will serve as the military supervisor. We will immediately raise an army to punish the traitors and rescue His Majesty!"

When Tian Tianrui heard that His Majesty had appointed him as Grand Commander, he was overjoyed and felt a sense of loyalty, like a scholar who would die for a friend. However, upon hearing the rest, he hesitated.

"Raise an army immediately? This..."

Tian Tianrui had no objection to rescuing Emperor Longqing, but immediately raised an army...

As early as when Fang Yong had just occupied the capital, Tian Tianrui knew that Emperor Longqing was under Fang Yong's control. As a loyalist of Emperor Longqing, he immediately began to prepare troops and conduct training.

However, he is different from Fang Yong.

As a local governor, his power was limited, and he could not, like Fang Yong, establish military farms or directly seize the wealth of wealthy households.

Due to insufficient provisions and pay, he has not recruited many soldiers, totaling only 40,000 so far.

Food supplies were scarce, making even routine training for the soldiers a problem.

If you go to those powerful and wealthy families to ask for grain, even the smaller ones will give you some face and provide some money and grain.

Those truly powerful families who controlled a prefecture didn't even glance at him, and didn't give him a single penny or grain.

Those powerful and wealthy families are all very shrewd.

Giving them money and provisions meant clearly standing on the opposite side of Fang Yong.

Fang Yong is currently riding high on his power and seems poised to seize the throne. How could they possibly offend him? And if they don't provide him with money and provisions, even if Emperor Longqing manages to turn the tide, he will ultimately be powerless against them.

If that's the case, why should they be given money and provisions?

Those money and grain were all earned through their hard work.

Free of charge?

Not at all.

Under these circumstances, Tian Tianrui had recruited too few soldiers, they were not well trained, and they lacked most of their weapons and armor, resulting in very low combat effectiveness. He had no confidence in defeating Fang Yong.

This is why he didn't directly rebel.

He had planned to develop his business and accumulate strength for a while longer before he broke ties with Fang Yong, but Gao Jing's arrival disrupted his plans.

When Gao Jing saw Tian Tianrui hesitate, she burst into tears and tried to bang her head against the headboard again without saying a word.

Tian Tianrui quickly stopped Gao Jing.
"Lord Gao, Lord Gao, what are you doing?"

Gokyungdo:
"When the ruler is distressed, the subject is disgraced; when the ruler is disgraced, the subject dies! Now Your Majesty is humiliated in the palace, yet I cannot help Your Majesty eliminate the traitor. What use is my life? Do not stop me; let me die first, and go to the underworld to await Your Majesty! When Your Majesty arrives, I can say to him: 'Your Majesty, you have misjudged me!'"

Upon hearing this, Tian Tianrui knelt down with a thud.

Gao Jing's words were more painful than death for him.

Tian Tianrui raised his head and swore:

"Heaven above, how dare I, Tian Tianrui, harbor any disloyalty! Immediately dispatch troops to punish the traitor Fang!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Jing finally felt relieved and said:
"Lord Tian, ​​it seems His Majesty was right about you!"

Tian Tianrui, however, looked worried.

"Lord Gao, I...sigh..."

Upon seeing this, Gao Jing asked:

"What is it that Lord Tian is troubled about?"

Upon hearing this, Tian Tianrui voiced his previous concerns.

Upon hearing this, Gao Jing said, "I thought it was something serious. Why should Lord Tian bother with such a trivial matter? I will prepare all the money, provisions, and troops in ten days. It will not delay your uprising!"

Tian Tianrui was very surprised to hear this. He had been unable to raise enough money and grain for months, but Gao Jing had managed to do so in just ten days.
Gao Jing said, "Everyone has their own expertise, Lord Tian, ​​just watch me carry it out!"

The next day, Gao Jing asked Tian Tianrui for an army of a thousand men, and then invited the major families and officials in the city to a meeting.

Some families were unwilling to come, so Gao Jing ordered soldiers to block the gate. With no other option, these families had to come to participate in the meeting.

Everyone thought it was the same old story, another time they would have to pay for it, and they had already prepared their reasons for refusing. But this time, the person who invited them was not Tian Tianrui, but Gao Jing.

Gao Jing was previously the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and he knew many people.

Upon meeting, Gao Jing did not mention money, but instead chatted with everyone about their friendship, and then hosted a banquet with famous singers performing.

Everyone had a great time.

Seeing that things had progressed sufficiently, Gao Jing removed the courtesans and brought up the main business.

Gao Jing said casually:
"Gentlemen, yesterday Lord Tian told me that he wanted to raise an army to punish the Fang bandits. He has enough troops, but he is short of some money. I said that this matter is simple. We only need to set up a levy for suppressing the bandits. There are countless loyal and patriotic people in our Great Xi Dynasty. Raising some money and provisions will not be a problem!"

When everyone heard this, they looked at each other.

They were all cunning old foxes, and they easily discerned the meaning behind Gao Jing's words. If it was about asking them to donate money, they could simply say that everyone present was loyal to the emperor and loved their country, without mentioning that there were countless loyal and patriotic people in our Great Xi Dynasty.

One of them, named Tang Rong, looked at Gao Jing and tentatively asked:

"Lord Gao, how is this 'pacification tax' established?"

Gao Jing smiled and said:
"The purpose of setting up a donation to quell the rebellion is entirely due to your reputations. If you generously contribute, it will be a formality, and you will naturally follow the example of Lin Qing afterward."

(End of this chapter)