Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Xia Shouzhong felt envious, but showed no sign of it on his face. He bowed and said:

"This servant will certainly take care of it tomorrow."

Emperor Jingsheng withdrew his gaze, sat back down behind his desk, and picked up a report, a secret report sent from the Northwest by the Imperial City Guard.

He stared at it for a while, then his brows slowly furrowed.

"The pseudo-Qing, the Hunxie, and the Northern Yuan have been making frequent moves lately; a major war seems inevitable!"

Xia Shouzhong replied:

"The Qing dynasty has recently been sending people to frequently contact Hunxie and Beiyuan. Some time ago, the three parties even held a meeting at Langshan, revealing their intention to invade our Han dynasty from the south."

Emperor Jingsheng sneered:

"That old bastard Kangxi is still resentful about the death of his son last time; he's now trying to unite with other countries to weaken our Han Dynasty!"

"Emperor Chengzu was right after all. The pseudo-Qing dynasty has never given up its desire to destroy us. They are the real threat to our great Han dynasty."

Emperor Jingsheng, having said this, walked to the map and pointed to the northwest:

"You shall convey my decree that, starting tomorrow, the border troops in the four garrisons of Datong, Xuanfu, Ningxia, and Yulin shall not be allowed to remove their armor, and the number of scouts shall be doubled, with one report per day."

"We must not let our guard down during the New Year period. If any Mongol cavalry approach the border wall, we must not engage them in battle or pursue them, lest we fall into an ambush."

"I want the Imperial City Guards in the Northwest to do their utmost to investigate the movements of all three sides. I need to know exactly who is sending troops, how many, which route they will take, and when they will move."

Xia Shouzhong agreed to each one.

Emperor Jingsheng pondered for a moment and then said:

"Have Marquis Jingwu prepare to march into the Northwest at any time. The battle in the Northwest is a matter of national security; we must not be complacent!"

Xia Shouzhong could not hide his surprise upon hearing this, and asked softly:

"In this battle in the Northwest, will His Majesty appoint Marquis Jingwu as the chief general?"

"According to the intelligence reports from the Imperial City Guard, the Hunye, the Northern Yuan, and the puppet Qing will mobilize at least 200,000 troops, involving two battlefields in the Northwest and Liaodong."

"In terms of scale and scope, this is probably the biggest and toughest battle our dynasty has faced in recent years. Marquis Jingwu is only twenty years old and merely a third-rank official; it would be difficult for him to command those fierce border generals and gain their respect..."

Xia Shouzhong didn't doubt Jia Jing's abilities; it was just that this might be the biggest battle since Emperor Jingsheng ascended the throne, and it even concerned the safety of the country. He wondered if it would be safer to use some veteran generals.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingsheng's eyes deepened, and he resolutely said:

"This battle cannot be won without Jia Qing! If Nian Gengyao, Yue Zhongqi, and others were to lead the troops, they could at most maintain a stalemate, neither winning nor losing. It would be very difficult to win, let alone achieve a great victory or a quick victory."

"The national treasury is empty, and new policies are imminent. The war in the Northwest cannot be delayed any longer. Only by employing Minister Jia can we have even a sliver of hope for a swift victory. He is my lucky general; only he can do what others cannot!"

"As for using that twenty-year-old commander, that's even simpler. After all, the general I've chosen is only twenty!"

Xia Shouzhong's heart tightened upon hearing this. He respectfully accepted the order and waited until Emperor Jingsheng gave no further instructions before slowly withdrawing.

Emperor Jingsheng watched Xia Shouzhong leave, and endless thoughts welled up in the heart of this emperor who possessed the wealth of the four seas.

Jia Qing, whether we win or lose this battle in the Northwest depends on your abilities!

This time, I've placed the safety of the nation on your shoulders, so don't let me down.

The sound of the third watch drum came from afar. Emperor Jingsheng rubbed his temples, roused himself, and continued to review the memorials.

Meanwhile, in Shengjing City, at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The palace was imposing and brightly lit by candlelight.

Behind the imperial desk hung a huge map, stretching from Liaodong to the northwest, and even to the nine important border towns of the Han Dynasty, marked with countless dots by the emperor's brush.

The charcoal brazier burned extremely brightly, yet it could not dispel the somber atmosphere in the hall.

Emperor Kangxi sat upright behind his desk.

Over the past few months, Emperor Kangxi has aged considerably, with thick white hair at his temples, sunken eyes, and a deeper vertical line etched between his brows.

The death of the eldest prince in Jizhou and the loss of 150,000 Qing troops caused him immense pain, and he could not swallow this bitter pill.

He thought he was a wise and benevolent ruler, but he suffered heavy losses, including the death of his eldest son on the battlefield.

How could he possibly have the face to be called "the greatest emperor of all time" after this?

If he could not defeat the Han Dynasty, enter the Central Plains, and wash away his shame in this lifetime, he would not be at peace even in death.

Inside the hall, Li Dequan stood beside Kangxi, while Crown Prince Yinreng stood nearby.

Standing on either side of His Highness were the three ministers of the Southern Study: Tong Guowei, Ma Qi, and Gao Shiqi, and the princes, including the Third Prince, Fourth Prince, Eighth Prince, Ninth Prince, Tenth Prince, and Thirteenth Prince.

The ministers and princes all wore expressions of weariness and caution. They had been holding court for almost three hours today, and now only one important matter remained.

Kangxi spoke slowly, his voice hoarse yet conveying authority:

"It's getting late. Let's discuss one last thing."

Emperor Kangxi stood up, walked to the map, and pointed his withered finger towards the northwest:

"The most important matters of state are sacrifice and war! Now, the Hunye Khanate and the Northern Yuan Royal Court have agreed with our Great Qing to launch a joint attack on the Han Dynasty in early spring."

Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent, the atmosphere solemn, and everyone held their breath, waiting for Kangxi to speak next.

Kangxi continued slowly:

"Our dynasty has launched a two-pronged attack this time. One force, led by Erdan, consists of 60,000 troops and will march into Liaodong to contain the heavy cavalry under Nian Gengyao and Qin Qiong of the Han army."

"The other route is in the northwest. The Northern Yuan and Hunxie will each send 100,000 troops to attack the important northwestern towns of Yulin, Ningxia, and Suzhou of the Han Dynasty."

"Our army will only provide support on this route, not as the main force. Let Hunxie and Beiyuan fight against the Han Dynasty. Regardless of their success or failure, it will deplete the strength of both sides."

"This army mainly commands 30,000 cavalrymen from the Khalkha Mongols and Khorchin tribes, which are vassals of the Great Qing. The selection of the commander-in-chief must be both knowledgeable in military strategy and adept at political maneuvering, which is of utmost importance."

After Kangxi finished speaking, he sat back on his throne and said, word by word:

"Since its founding, the Han Dynasty has been the most formidable enemy of our Great Qing! Our Great Qing Emperor Taizu launched several campaigns against the Han, but all of them failed."

"Following the battle in Liaodong a few months ago, the Han emperor heavily relied on the military minister Jia Jing to reorganize and strengthen the army in their capital, which proved quite effective!"

"If we give them more time to implement new policies and restore national strength, it will be an extremely unfavorable situation for our Great Qing!"

"Therefore, the goal of our Great Qing in this war is not a quick victory, but to unite with Hunye and Northern Yuan in the Northwest to tie down the Han Dynasty's military forces, so that the Han Dynasty can continuously pour money and grain into the Northwest, thus weakening their national strength."

"The legacy of our ancestors has been passed down through generations to me, and now it's time to put an end to the Han Dynasty."

"This war in the Northwest is a matter of life and death for our Great Qing Dynasty! I have decided to select a wise prince from among my sons to lead the expedition in my stead, and bestow upon him the title of Grand General, in charge of all military affairs in the Northwest."