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

Upon hearing this, the Thirteenth Prince, Yinxiang, lowered his head slightly, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

The Fourteenth Prince, Yinti, glanced at Yinzhen and then at the Eighth Prince, Yinsi, his eyes darting around.

Emperor Kangxi remained silent for a moment, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Instead, he asked the Fourteenth Prince, Yinzhen:

"Fourteenth Prince, you heard what the Fourth Prince said. Do you think what he said makes sense?"

The Fourteenth Prince, Yinzhen, stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and said:

"Fourth Brother's words are reasonable, but I believe that if I were to lead the troops, the Khalkha and Khorchin would certainly not dare to harbor any disloyal thoughts!"

Emperor Kangxi's face was ashen as he asked:

"Do you believe you are more suitable than the Thirteenth Prince to serve as the Grand General?"

The Fourteenth Prince, Yinzhen, said with his neck stiff:

"Your Majesty, in a one-on-one fight, I am not afraid of my thirteenth brother! In terms of military strategy and tactics, I believe I am not inferior either."

"As for who is more suitable to serve as Grand General, that is up to Father Emperor's discretion, and I cannot answer that..."

Kangxi ignored him and turned to the thirteenth prince, Yinxiang, asking:

"Thirteenth Brother, your fourth brother recommended you. What did you say?"

The thirteenth prince stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and said in a loud voice:

"Your Majesty, I am willing to share your burdens! If you trust me, I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations!"

Kangxi nodded and said:

"If you were to be the Grand General, how would you plan to fight?"

The thirteenth prince, Yinxiang, thought for a moment and said in a deep voice:

"Your subject has three strategies: First, proceed slowly. Although Hunye and Beiyuan have allied with our dynasty, they still harbor their own ulterior motives."

"After I arrive in the Northwest, I will first stabilize both sides and not rush into battle. I will wait until they have clashed with the Han Dynasty before making further plans!"

"The second strategy is to wear down the enemy. This battle is not about quick victory, but about plunder and destruction."

"Whenever we attack a place, we will only take its provisions, burn the Han army's fields and cities, kill the able-bodied men, and leave the old and weak to drag the Han army down. Once the Han army is out of food and exhausted, we will then attack with our elite troops!"

"The third share of the profits, no matter how much gold and silver benefits are obtained, will mainly go to Hunxie and Beiyuan."

"Most of the spoils of war will be distributed to them, allowing them to gain more benefits. Once they see the advantages of invading the Han and the sincerity of our Great Qing, they will naturally take the initiative to seek to fight against the Han army."

Upon hearing this, a look of satisfaction finally appeared in Kangxi's eyes.

"Good! This is my good son!"

Kangxi rose, walked to the map, turned his back to the crowd, and slowly said:

"The thirteenth prince is well-versed in military strategy, knows the Mongols, and is both courageous and resourceful. My mind is made up..."

He turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning:

"The thirteenth prince, Yinxiang, is hereby appointed as the Grand General of Pacification, overseeing the war in the Northwest and commanding the troops under the jurisdiction of the Mongol vassal states. He shall begin preparations for the expedition immediately."

Upon hearing Kangxi's words, the princes in the hall displayed various expressions, but none dared to voice any further objections.

The thirteenth prince, Yinxiang, knelt down and kowtowed, saying:

"Your subject obeys the decree and will do his utmost to fulfill the trust placed in him by Your Majesty!"

Kangxi paused for a moment and then admonished Yinxiang:

"You know how important this battle is, so you must be extremely careful. Learn from the experience of the First Prince last time, and report on the progress of the military situation at any time."

"The Han emperor trusts his minister Jia Jing greatly, and this time he is likely to send him to fight in the northwest. He is exceptionally brave and resourceful, so you must be careful of him..."

"But don't be too afraid of him. Times have changed. It's no longer the time when individual bravery can determine the outcome of a war."

Kangxi naturally investigated and found out the reason for the eldest prince's defeat last time.

His conclusion from the investigation was that the war was lost.

On the one hand, the heavy cavalry of the Han Dynasty, which appeared out of nowhere, played an important role.

On the other hand, Jia Jing himself was exceptionally brave and knowledgeable in military affairs.

Of course, he didn't believe some of the exaggerated claims about Jia Jing's martial prowess.

The idea that one person could break through a city gate is simply a fantasy, something no human could possibly accomplish. There has never been anyone like that throughout history.

In addition, few Qing soldiers escaped from the Battle of Jizhou, so Kangxi concluded that this was an exaggerated propaganda by the Han Dynasty, which always liked to spread such mysterious rumors that were unrealistic.

Upon hearing this, the Thirteenth Prince replied again:

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, the warriors of our Great Qing fear no one!"

Kangxi nodded and then said:

"Fourth brother!"

The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, stepped forward and said:

"Your subject is here!"

Kangxi said:

"You have been in charge of the Ministry of Revenue for many years, so the task of allocating grain and supplies will be entrusted to you. This time, you will be in charge of coordinating the grain and supplies for the military campaigns in the Northwest and Liaodong, ensuring that there is no shortage of money and food at the front."

Yinzhen kowtowed and replied:

"Your subject obeys the decree! Your subject will do everything in his power to ensure that the troops at the front have no worries about their rear."

Kangxi then addressed Longkodo, who was standing to the side:

"Longkodo, you are brave and skilled in battle, and familiar with military affairs in the Northwest. This time, you will be appointed as the deputy general of the Thirteenth Prince, and will be granted the title of General of Valiant Might to assist the Thirteenth Prince."

"If we win this battle, I will not hesitate to bestow upon him a title of nobility."

Longkodo stepped forward, his face filled with excitement, and kowtowed, saying:

"This humble servant is deeply grateful for Your Majesty's divine grace and will repay it with my life!"

Kangxi then made arrangements for the events leading up to the battle, and then dismissed all the princes and ministers.

The princes left the Hall of Mental Cultivation. The Tenth Prince, indignant that the Eighth Prince, Yinzhi, had failed to secure the position of Grand General, angrily exclaimed:

"Why should the thirteenth prince be appointed as the Grand General? What makes the eighth prince inferior to him? He's nothing but the Crown Prince's dog!"

The Eighth Prince, Yinzhi, said calmly:

"Tenth brother, stop talking. Father is wise and insightful, and will make his own judgment."

Ninth Prince Yinzhen also whispered:

"Why should I? I think the old man has lost his mind!"

…………

The next morning, Jia Jing got up early and practiced his spear technique in the courtyard for half an hour.

After bathing and changing with Xiangling's help, he sat in his room and read the letter that Qin Keqing had sent him that morning.

Jia Jing looked at it and found the arguments to be detailed and sincere, with no major problems.

He then summoned his personal guards and gave them instructions, telling them to go to Xuanzhen Temple today to meet Jia Jing and handle the matter.

He himself was to host a banquet today for several military officers of the founding lineage who held military ranks, to reach a consensus on unifying the war in the Northwest.

Then I'll be returning to the Ba Shang camp to take charge, and I'll leave these small matters at home to my subordinates.

Just after finishing this matter, Xiangling and Xiaohong brought in breakfast and gently placed it on the table:

A large bowl of rice porridge, dozens of steamed buns, several side dishes, and a large bowl of braised meat.

The two set out the bowls and chopsticks, then stood by with their hands at their sides, waiting to be served.

Perhaps due to changes in his physical condition, Jia Jing's appetite has increased significantly, and he can now eat several times more food than others in one meal.

"Have you all eaten yet? Where's Xiao Jiao?" Jia Jing asked as he walked to the table to prepare the meal.

"No! We'll eat after Master has finished. Little Jiao'er is still asleep; it's still early, so I didn't wake her," Xiangling replied softly.

Jia Jing glanced at her fresh and beautiful face and said:

"Yes! She's a growing child, let her sleep a little longer. You guys go eat too, you don't need to wait on me here."

Xiangling and the other woman shook their heads and said:

"We're not in a hurry, sir. We'll wait until you've eaten."

After saying that, Xiao Hong seemed to remember something and said:

"Master, I just saw Sister Yuanyang outside with someone carrying a bundle coming towards our courtyard. It seems she's looking for you, Lord Marquis."