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

After Emperor Jingsheng finished speaking, he disregarded his meal and instructed Xia Shouzhong, who was standing beside him:

"Go and summon the cabinet ministers and Prince Teng to the Qianqing Palace. I have something to discuss with them."

There's been a lot of noise in the court lately, but now that the good news has arrived, let's see what they have to say next!

Especially that scoundrel Xu Qianxue. He was put in charge of the Censorate and the upright officials, but he was outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant. This time, we'll teach him a lesson.

Xia Shouzhong accepted the order and left.

Emperor Jingsheng suppressed his joy, rose, and went to the front hall. Just as he stepped out of the hall, he addressed Empress Zhou:

"The reports from the front lines and the heads of the Tartars, among other credentials, have not yet arrived, so it is not appropriate for me to bestow rewards upon Zijie at this time."

"You should help reward the Jia family with something. Zijie has rendered meritorious service in the northwest campaign; the court cannot treat him poorly!"

Empress Zhou smiled and said:

"I understand. I've heard that the Jia family has many sisters. I'll have someone send some jewelry, headdresses, and palace brocades as gifts."

"Siam recently offered some fine tea as tribute, and we'll have some sent to the Jia family later."

The gifts bestowed by the Empress upon the families of meritorious officials were not only a manifestation of the Emperor's boundless grace, but also an important way to uphold the ethics between the Emperor and his subjects and to demonstrate the order of ritual.

These kinds of rewards are usually valuable and symbolic items, covering multiple categories such as clothing, jewelry, and daily utensils.

Furthermore, the content of the rewards varies significantly depending on the recipient's status and achievements.

The bestowal of gold, jade, jewelry, headdresses, and brocade upon the families of meritorious officials not only demonstrated care but also reinforced the hierarchical order among women.

This was considered the most honorable form of reward for one's wife's family, aside from bestowing titles and official ranks.

"Yes! It's up to you, Zitong." Emperor Jingsheng nodded and, surrounded by eunuchs, headed towards the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.

The main hall of Qianqing Palace.

At this moment, the cabinet ministers and Prince Teng were already waiting for Emperor Jingsheng in the hall, and everyone had a look of doubt on their faces.

It's unclear what major event has occurred that prompted Emperor Jingsheng to summon them for a meeting at this time.

Xu Qianxue, Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion and Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, had a hint of joy on his face and his eyes were sparkling.

He wondered if Emperor Jingsheng was influenced by public opinion and intended to negotiate peace or limit Jia Jing's power.

These days, the Censorate, the Hanlin Academy, and the Imperial Academy have submitted numerous memorials to advise on this matter, and many censors have even submitted a memorial every day. Perhaps His Majesty's mind has changed?

Wang Ziteng, on the other hand, had a detached expression and a somewhat gloomy look in his eyes; he had not been having a good time these past few days.

As he expected, after Jia Jing went to the front lines, the court sought stability, and the reorganization of the Beijing garrison was put on hold.

His several memorials regarding the proposed reorganization of the Beijing garrison went unanswered, making it difficult to implement his plan to reorganize the army and gain merit.

The others, including Zhang Tingyu, Gong Dingzi, Li Guangdi, and Chen Tingjing, wore solemn expressions.

They were somewhat worried about the war in the Northwest. There had been a constant stream of urgent reports from Yulin in recent days. Emperor Jingsheng's urgent summons could mean that Yulin had been captured by the Northern Yuan.

If that's the case, this battle in the Northwest will truly be difficult!

Just as everyone was having different thoughts, Emperor Jingsheng arrived at the main hall of Qianqing Palace, surrounded by Xia Shouzhong and eunuchs.

"Your Majesty, this humble subject greets you!" Everyone in the hall hurriedly bowed in respect.

Emperor Jingsheng sat silently on the dragon throne in the hall, looked at the ministers below, and said in a deep voice:

"You may rise!"

After the officials bowed and expressed their gratitude, Emperor Jingsheng slowly spoke:

"Just now, the Imperial City Guard received an urgent military report from Jia Zijie in the Northwest via carrier pigeon, stating that the Northern Yuan army has been attacking Yulin Garrison for more than twenty days."

"Yesterday morning, the south gate of Yulin Garrison was breached, and the situation is critical..."

Emperor Jingsheng paused halfway through his sentence, then picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip.

His eyes, however, were fixed on the reactions of the courtiers below.

As soon as Emperor Jingsheng spoke, the assembled officials in the hall were all startled, followed by a commotion.

What? Yulin has fallen??

Zhang Tingyu, Li Guangdi, and other cabinet ministers looked grave. If Yulin fell, wouldn't the Northern Yuan army be able to drive straight into Guanzhong?

Not to mention the countless casualties among soldiers and civilians on the border, this battle in the Northwest alone is going to be tough!

Could it be that the imperial court really made a mistake in its decision-making, and that negotiating peace with the Northern Yuan and Hunye would have been a more beneficial move for the country?

How did the Marquis of Ji'an defend the city?

Weren't we repeatedly ordered to defend the city? How come it was breached so quickly by the Northern Yuan army?

Chen Tingjing's vision went black, and he nearly fainted.

In recent days, he has been working day and night to raise military supplies and logistics for the Northwest, and he almost died from exhaustion.

Unexpectedly, just as the supplies and provisions were being delivered, the front lines had already suffered a defeat!

Xu Qianxue was overjoyed, but his face remained impassive, instead showing a hint of sorrow. He quickly stepped forward and loudly proclaimed:

"If Yulin falls, the soldiers and civilians in the city will inevitably suffer heavy casualties. It is pitiful that my great Han people will die because of the selfishness of some warriors who are eager to make merit."

"If those military officials hadn't bewitched the emperor, and the court had sent people to negotiate peace with the Northern Yuan and Hunye earlier, this tragedy would never have happened."

Xu Qianxue implied in his words that Jia Jing, Niu Jizong, and other pro-war figures had ulterior motives.

It was as if the blame for the fall of Yulin City lay solely in the selfishness of these military men who refused to negotiate peace.

Of course, he also made sure to exonerate Emperor Jingsheng, explaining that the emperor's advocacy for war was due to the treacherous ministers who had misled him.

Prince Teng, holding his jade tablet, straightened his posture and stepped forward to report:

"Your Majesty! With the fall of Yulin, the Northern Yuan army can advance south along the Wuding River, directly threatening Yan'an and Xi'an."

"If the court does not send envoys to negotiate peace, the entire Guanzhong region in the northwest will be ravaged by the Northern Yuan, causing chaos in the northwest and even affecting the power of our Great Han."

"Your Majesty, please make a decision as soon as possible, withdraw Jia Jing and Niu Jizong, and order the dispatch of a peace negotiator to the Northwest to discuss matters with the Northern Yuan."

Wang Ziteng did not place the blame for the Battle of Yulin on Jia Jing, because he knew that the fall of Yulin was not Jia Jing's fault at all.

After all, Jia Jing had only been on campaign for a few days, and it was unknown whether he had even arrived in Yulin yesterday. We can't blame him for not being able to provide timely assistance!

However, Prince Teng still escalated the fall of Yulin to a critical level that would affect the national situation of the Han Dynasty.

It is hoped that Emperor Jingsheng can negotiate peace as soon as possible, so that he will have the opportunity to quickly reorganize the capital garrison, make meritorious contributions, and ascend to the throne.

Zhang Tingyu, who always believed that silence was better than words, unexpectedly stood up and spoke loudly:

"Your Majesty! If Yulin falls, I believe that it is absolutely unacceptable to negotiate peace at this time!"

"Firstly, the imperial court has already issued an edict appointing the Marquis of Jingwu as the commander-in-chief of the war in the northwest, and there is absolutely no reason for the edict to be changed overnight."

"Secondly, the soldiers and civilians on the border have died tragically under the swords of the Northern Yuan. This grudge must be avenged! Otherwise, we will lose the hearts and minds of the people and the army in the Northwest!"

"Thirdly, Marquis Jingwu and others have arrived in the Northwest, and the army and supplies at Ba Shang are already on their way. The court has also made preparations in all aspects for the Northwest War. There is no reason to withdraw the army without fighting a single battle."

"Fourthly, I believe that with the abilities of Marquis Jingwu, he will surely be able to defeat the enemy. Your Majesty might as well give them a little more time."

"At this critical juncture, the entire court should uphold its resolve to fight, and only through unity can we overcome this crisis..."

"Zhang Tingyu is a treacherous minister! Your Majesty, please investigate!" Xu Qianxue jumped out and sternly condemned before Zhang Tingyu could finish speaking.