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

Inside Jinling City, at the residence of the Marquis of Liu'an.

This mansion is located in the east of Jinling City, occupying most of a street.

Two stone lions, each taller than a person, crouch before the vermilion gate. Above the gate hangs a blue plaque with gold lettering that reads "The Residence of the Marquis of Liu'an," a title personally bestowed by the retired emperor.

The study is located on the east side of the main hall in the fourth courtyard. Pushing open the carved lattice door, you are greeted by a rosewood screen inlaid with mother-of-pearl depicting flowers of the four seasons.

In front of the screen was a large rosewood table, on which were piled several scrolls of calligraphy and paintings, a Duan inkstone, and a jade ruyi.

Hanging on the wall is a painting by Tang Bohu titled "Pine Trees and Mountain Paths". Below the painting is a couch inlaid with mother-of-pearl, covered with a scarlet carpet, and next to the carpet is a gilded hand warmer.

The windows were covered with green gauze, and the sunlight shone through, making the whole room warm and cozy.

At this moment, Marquis Wang Zhi of Liu'an was sitting in the round-backed chair covered with a tiger skin behind the large table.

He closed his eyes slightly, holding a jade ruyi in his hand, tapping it against his palm.

This military hero of the Jingnan Campaign was in his early forties. He had a fair complexion, showing no signs of hardship, a round face, thin eyebrows, and small eyes with slightly drooping corners, always looking as if he hadn't woken up yet.

With a low nose, thick lips, and a shallow crease on his chin, he looked like someone who had lived a life of luxury and indulged in food and drink all the time.

He was wearing a light brown satin robe with floral patterns, a light brown handkerchief tied around his waist, and soft-soled sandals.

He didn't look like a military general at all; he looked more like the head manager of a silk shop.

But to underestimate him because of this would be a huge mistake.

It should be noted that Wang Zhi, the Marquis of Liu'an, was not only the Commander-in-Chief of the Rear Army Commandery of Jinling, but also a meritorious official in charge of the defense of Jinling.

He was in charge of the deployment, provisions, and weaponry of the entire Southern Zhili Garrison, as well as the defense, patrols, firearms, and several city gates of Nanjing.

His trusted men were present in every place in the city, including the armory, granary, salt bureau, and textile bureau.

His family had been operating in Nanjing for decades, deeply entrenched and wielding immense power!

So much so that even Gong Dingzi, the former governor of Southern Zhili, had to show him some respect when he came;

Even Han Zanzhou, the eunuch in charge of the defense of Jinling, though a servant of the emperor, often didn't have the same influence in Jinling as Han Zanzhou.

Wang Zhi closed his eyes, tapped the jade ruyi twice more, and then suddenly opened his eyes.

Those small eyes showed no sign of weariness; instead, they shone with a cold, hard light.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door.

"My lord." A steward in his fifties hurried in, bowing. He had a fair complexion and very bright, intelligent eyes, clearly a trusted confidant who had served Wang Zhi for many years.

He walked to the table and said in a low voice:

"The Earl of Xincheng has arrived and is waiting outside."

Wang Zhi's expression hardened, and he said in a deep voice:

"There must be news! Let him in quickly."

The nobles of Jinling were not limited to Marquis Wang Zhi of Liu'an. Besides him, there were also Marquis Huaiyuan, Marquis Anyuan, Marquis Yongchang, Earl of Xiangcheng, Earl of Daxing, Earl of Chengyi, Earl of Nanhe, and so on...

Some of them were descendants of military heroes who helped found the dynasty, some were descendants of military heroes who helped quell the rebellion, and some were descendants of newly appointed military heroes after the reign of Emperor Chengzu.

Most of their ancestors were capable people, but by their generation, those who were sent by the court to Jinling to retire were mostly incompetent!

Yes, Zhao Zhihu, the Earl of Xincheng, was one of them.

By this time, the nobles of Jinling had been trapped inside the city for several days, and with the White Lotus Sect's offensive growing increasingly fierce, the city's fall seemed imminent.

Most of them have already started to think things through and are eager to find a new way out.

Wang Zhi, the Marquis of Liu'an, who was a powerful and respected official in charge of the defense of Jinling, was their leader.

Of course, the nobles were not unaware that Jia Jing was already leading a large army on his way to provide support. If they could hold out for a few more days, the crisis in Jinling would be resolved as soon as the reinforcements arrived.

However, the city of Jinling was already in dire need of troops and its defenses were in a state of disrepair, making it impossible to hold out any longer!

Secondly, compared to the White Lotus Sect, what the nobles feared even more was... Jia Jing, who was leading a large army.

Why do I say that?

It's because over the years, the military officers of Nanjing have been involved in countless cases of embezzling salaries, exploiting soldiers, and violating laws and regulations in the south; none of them are clean!

If they were to actually wait for Jia Jing, the ruthless military leader in Shenjing, to arrive, what good would come of it?

Not to mention, with the chaos in Jiangnan, the fall of the secondary capital, and the surrender of prefectures and counties at the first sign of trouble, someone has to take responsibility, and the military officers leading the garrison troops are the first to bear the brunt!

Therefore, being stubborn and getting stuck in one direction will only lead to a dead end; if you don't hurry to find a way out, you'll be in a dead end!

Following Wang Zhi's instructions, the steward withdrew and soon led in a middle-aged man.

This man was slightly taller and thinner than Wang Zhi, with a long face, slightly protruding cheekbones, and two neatly trimmed mustaches.

He wore a dark blue silk robe with subtle patterns, a jade belt around his waist, and walked with great speed, taking three steps at a time to reach the table. He clasped his hands in a respectful greeting and said in a low voice:

"Your Majesty!"

"Sit down." Wang Zhi raised his hand and then said to the butler:

"Bring good tea quickly! Everyone outside, please step back."

The steward understood, went out the door, and chased all the maids and servants from the corridor to the outside of the courtyard, while he stood guard at the door.

Zhao Zhihu sat down, picked up his teacup to moisten his throat, and then said in a low voice:

"There's news from the White Lotus Sect; Liu Zhixie personally delivered the message to me."

Zhao Zhihu's sister married Wang Zhi as his legal wife. The two families had been related by marriage for decades, which enabled them to conspire in such a secret matter!

Wang Zhi's expression remained unchanged; he simply hummed in acknowledgment, signaling him to continue.

Zhao Zhihu leaned closer and lowered his voice even further:

"Liu Zhixie said that as long as we open the east gate tonight and let them into the city, he guarantees that he will not harm us in any way."

"Not only will they leave our gold, silver, valuables, family members, and servants untouched, but they will also help us cover this up."

"In addition, they also promised us eight ships, which will be moored at Xiaguan Wharf, not far from the city gate, and the sailors will have food and water readily available."

"Once we leave through the south gate, we'll head east, following the river downstream. Whether we go to Songjiang, Taicang, or even out to sea, it's up to us!"

After listening, Wang Zhi did not respond immediately.

He picked up the teacup and slowly skimmed the foam off the surface with the lid. After a few skimmes, he suddenly asked:

"Do you think the White Lotus Sect's guarantee is reliable? Are they planning to seize the city and then devour us?"

Although I had already made up my mind to distribute the money, this matter concerned the lives of my entire family, so I had to be extremely cautious!

Zhao Zhihu's expression hardened, and he said slowly:

"Your Highness, rest assured, he is absolutely reliable! Liu Zhixie is willing to personally provide us with a hostage. We will release him once we are safe!"

"He is the current prime minister of the White Lotus Sect, their leader's most trusted minister. To go this far already shows his sincerity!"

"Furthermore, the White Lotus Sect is also afraid of that person's arrival and wants to take Jinling before he gets there, otherwise the White Lotus Sect will be finished!"

Seeing Wang Zhi's gloomy expression, Zhao Zhihu paused, then continued with a worried look:

"Now, a storm is brewing, and the White Lotus Sect's offensive is becoming increasingly fierce. With our limited forces, we simply cannot hold out."

"I've heard that other officials and gentry in the city are also secretly colluding with the White Lotus Sect, and the city could fall at any moment."

"My lord, you must decide as soon as possible, otherwise it will be too late once the White Lotus Sect breaches the city!"

Wang Zhi's expression darkened further. He put down his teacup, remained silent for a long while, and then asked in a low voice:

"Has there been any news from the Dragon Head Palace lately?"

Now that Nanjing is besieged, only Zhao Zhihu's residence still has carrier pigeons that can communicate with the outside world.

Zhao Zhihu gave a wry smile and said:

"The Emperor Emeritus has advised us to lay low and wait for an opportunity! Right now, the Qianqing Palace is wielding increasing power, and the Emperor Emeritus is powerless to stop them!"

Wang Zhi let out a long sigh.

That sigh contained a hint of resentment, a hint of helplessness, and above all, an indescribable sense of dejection.

He slowly leaned back in his chair, his gaze falling on the painting by Tang Bohu on the opposite wall, and after a long while, he said:

"We, a family of noble lineage, never imagined that we would end up abandoning our homes and property, fleeing into exile!"

To be honest, Wang Zhi really didn't want to leave. He had been a local tyrant in Jiangnan for so many years.

Suddenly having to give up a life of power, extravagance, and debauchery to flee to another place is a decision that no one can easily make!

After all, people are less valuable away from home, and unlike in later times, they can't still fantasize about taking money with them and continuing to enjoy life...