The Battle of Ningyuan Erupts

Baochai's birthday banquet arrived as scheduled. This time, it was funded by Lady Wang and held in the inner hall, making it a very lively and extraordinary occasion.

However, Jia Yun was ultimately an outsider, and he could not attend such banquets for women in the inner quarters to avoid suspicion.

The day after the birthday banquet, Jia Yun was explaining "On the Faults of Qin" to the girls in the school when a group of uninvited guests spoiled the mood.

All that could be heard outside were hurried footsteps and noisy whispers.

Before the lecture hall curtain was lifted, a startled old woman nervously announced, "Is Second Master Yun here? A servant has urgent news from outside. It says... it's someone from Prince Xin's residence. They say something has happened in Liaodong and request that Second Master go there immediately!"

In an instant, the classroom was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The girls all stopped writing, looked at the old woman who had delivered the message in surprise, and then turned their gazes to Jia Yun.

The girls' reactions were quite different.

The inquiry in Tan Chun's eyes, the surprise in Dai Yu's eyes, the deep thought in Bao Chai's lowered gaze. Xi Chun's absent-mindedness, and Ying Chun's pale and helpless face.

As for the maids serving nearby, such as Shishu, Ying'er, and Zijuan, they all looked at each other and dared not utter a sound.

Upon hearing this, Jia Yun felt a chill run down his spine. This must mean that what he had said about Liaodong had come true!

He remained outwardly calm, but turned to the girls apologetically and said, "Ladies, that concludes today's lesson. I hope you will carefully consider the passage from 'On the Faults of Qin,' specifically the part about 'the difference in the balance of power between offense and defense when benevolence and righteousness are not practiced.' We will continue with the remaining text tomorrow."

Having said that, Jia Yun said no more and hurriedly left under the varied gazes of the crowd.

Such earth-shattering news could not be kept secret, and it spread throughout the entire Jia family in no time.

The maids and servants whispered amongst themselves, discussing the matter animatedly.

"This is incredible! His Highness Prince Xin has sent someone to find Second Master Yun!"

"My goodness! Could it be that what Master Yun said the other day about war going to Liaodong wasn't just nonsense?"

"How could this be false? If it hadn't come true, would the Prince be in such a hurry to find him?"

"My goodness! This is truly a meteoric rise! Second Master Yun is about to ascend to the highest level in one fell swoop!"

In the front hall, Jia She and several scholars were admiring a newly acquired antique fan.

Upon hearing this, he was first taken aback, not even noticing that his valuable fan fell onto the table with a "thud." Then, the nonchalant look on Jia She's face was quickly replaced by an inexplicable flush.

Jia She slapped his thigh suddenly, his voice booming and frightening: "Good! Good! Good Yun-ge! He truly brings honor to the Jia family! He brings glory to our ancestors! I saw long ago that this boy has extraordinary talent, he's no ordinary person! He's a thoroughbred of the Jia family! Hahaha!"

This fellow changed his tune so quickly and his words were so nauseating, as if he wasn't the one who had mocked Jia Yun in front of Jia Zheng.

It just so happened that Jia Zheng was on his day off and was discussing poetry and literature with his guests in the hall. Hearing his elder brother's shameless remarks, he couldn't help but feel disgusted: "My elder brother is truly... only knows how to curry favor with the powerful, and has no integrity whatsoever!"

But Jia Zheng himself was also in turmoil, and even the hand holding the teacup tightened slightly.

He never expected that Jia Yun's seemingly absurd prediction that day would actually come true!

The implications of this left him, a man who always prided himself on being upright and honest and hoped that his children would follow the proper path of the imperial examinations, with complex and indescribable feelings.

At this moment, Jia Zheng felt both a sense of pride and unease, as if things were out of his control.

At this moment, the atmosphere in Xuqin Palace was solemn.

Prince Xin, Chen Jianzheng, stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the snow outside that had not yet completely melted, his brows furrowed with worry.

Behind him, besides the young eunuch Wang Chengen who served him daily, standing respectfully with his hands at his sides, the usual eunuch Li was nowhere to be seen. In his place stood a middle-aged eunuch with a fair complexion and no beard, dressed in a dark red python robe.

Upon hearing the announcement, Prince Xin turned around abruptly. When he saw Jia Yun enter, he disregarded all formalities and pleasantries.

He went straight to the point, asking, "Yun-ge'er! You've finally arrived!! Liaodong... an urgent message! The Jurchens have moved, their army is aimed directly at Ningyuan. What you said at Lanyue Pavilion last time has come true! Tell me quickly, in your opinion, can Ningyuan... be defended? How should the court... respond now?"

Chen Jian's posture was almost relentlessly aggressive.

And this last sentence carried an undisguised sense of fear.

This is understandable. The tragic fall of Liaoyang and Shenyang is still fresh in our minds. If Ningyuan is lost as well, the gates of Shanhaiguan will be wide open.

The capital city will be shaken, and the foundation of the nation will be shaken!

Wang Chengen, who was standing to the side, was so frightened that he dared not breathe. The unfamiliar eunuch in the python robe slightly lifted his eyelids, and his sharp eyes carefully examined Jia Yun.

Jia Yun reiterated that the ancients were ancient, not stupid.

It's not that Jia Yun could become a prophet simply by memorizing some history after arriving here.

With so many capable people in the court, Emperor Tianyou on the throne probably already had a plan for such a great disaster.

The fourteen or fifteen-year-old Prince Xin before him was probably testing him, wanting to see the true quality of his "foresight," which is why he acted so fearful in front of the unfamiliar eunuch.

Whether it's true or false, Jia Yun has to make this move.

On the carriage that brought them here, Jia Yun had already prepared his speech in his mind.

Feeling the scrutiny of everyone in the room, Jia Yun bowed slightly, his tone even more composed: "Your Highness, please rest assured. In my humble opinion, Ningyuan City can certainly be defended! There is no need to worry."

"Can we hold them?" Upon hearing this, Prince Xin's brows furrowed even more deeply. Admittedly, his acting was rather stiff. "What makes you so confident? Even large cities like Liao and Shen couldn't be held. How can Ningyuan, such a small place, possibly withstand the entire army of the Jurchens?"

"Firstly, it lies in the 'fortification of the city'." Jia Yun had no choice but to follow his words and pretend to speak eloquently. "Although Ningyuan City is small, thanks to the hard work of former Vice Military Commissioner Yuan Chonghuan and generals such as Man Gui and Zu Dashou in recent years, its defense system is far more complete than those cities that were poorly prepared for war and hastily engaged in battle in the past."

Lord Yuan once boasted, "Give me money, provisions, and troops, and I alone can defend this city." While this statement may seem arrogant, it demonstrates his determination to defend the city and his confidence in its defenses.

"Secondly, it lies in 'morale'." Seeing that everyone's expressions remained unchanged, Jia Yun raised his voice a few decibels. "Although our Han Dynasty has suffered repeated defeats and its morale has been dampened, as the saying goes, a desperate army will surely win! Ningyuan is now in a situation where there is nowhere to retreat. Behind it is Shanhaiguan, the capital region, which is the last line of defense for our Han Dynasty!"

The soldiers defending the city all knew that if they lost this battle, the nation's gates would be breached, their homes lost, and their parents, wives, and children to perish! Therefore, they were determined to fight to the death with the city, their will united as one, their morale unwavering! This grief and indignation was worth more than ten thousand armored soldiers!

After saying this, Jia Yun noticed a slight change in everyone's expressions and continued, "Thirdly, it lies in the 'power dynamics between the enemy and ourselves.' Although the Jurchens are fierce and brave, their long-distance campaign and extensive supply lines give them an advantage in quick battles but not in prolonged engagements. As long as the garrison of Ningyuan is united and well-commanded, relying on the city's strong defenses and powerful artillery, we can steadily and surely break their momentum beneath the city walls. When they are unable to conquer it after a prolonged siege, their troops are exhausted, and their supplies are running low, that will be the day they retreat!"

Moreover, our Han Dynasty still has an advantage in firearms. The cannons set up on the walls of Ningyuan are by no means something that the Jurchen archers and cavalry can easily contend with!

"Therefore, Your Highness, we should have great confidence in the garrison of Ningyuan! At this moment, what the court should do is to fully support Ningyuan and trust Lord Yuan and the loyalty, bravery, and ability of the soldiers at the front! Ensure unimpeded logistical supplies so that the soldiers at the front have no worries about their rear! As long as Ningyuan can hold out for more than half a month, the Jurchens will inevitably suffer internal strife and retreat if they cannot conquer it after a prolonged siege!"

As Prince Xin listened, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, though his fingers still unconsciously tapped on the armrest: "So, according to you, the Jurchens are just bluffing, and we don't need to worry too much?"

Jia Yun slowly shook his head, his tone growing increasingly grave: "Your Highness, what I'm saying is that we might win this battle. But the troubles in Liaodong cannot be eradicated by the loss of a single city or territory. If the Jurchens suffer a setback this time, they will surely return with renewed force. Their momentum is already established. If the court cannot select the right people to thoroughly stabilize Liaodong, given time, I fear they will grow even stronger, making the crisis outside Shanhaiguan difficult to resolve, and perhaps... they will eventually become a major threat to the heart of our Han Dynasty."

Jia Yun's lewd threats against the Jurchens were only subtle and to the point. In this situation, some things could only be said to this extent.

After listening, Prince Xin became even more silent, and the slight relief he had felt earlier seemed to have vanished.

"Enough. The matter of Liaodong is complex and cannot be resolved in a short time. I understand what you have said today."

Then, Prince Xin let out a long sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders, and even his shoulders felt a little lighter.

Even the usually silent and unfamiliar father-in-law nodded slightly, his gaze towards Jia Yun now showing more approval.

At this moment, his high-pitched voice rang out: "Young Master Jia, though young, possesses such insightful views on matters of state and military affairs; it is truly rare. Hearing this, I also feel much of the burden in my heart has been lifted, and I feel enlightened."

Upon hearing this, Jia Yun immediately turned to the unfamiliar eunuch and bowed again: "You flatter me, Your Excellency. I am young and inexperienced, and I have only dared to present some fragmented thoughts that I have heard and seen in my daily life before Your Highness and Your Excellency. Whether what I said is appropriate or not depends entirely on Your Highness and Your Excellency's discernment. It is already my great fortune to be able to alleviate Your Highness's worries, and I dare not accept such praise from Your Excellency."

When Prince Xin heard this, he looked at Jia Yun again, his gaze filled with undisguised admiration: "Yun-ge'er, what you said today was reasonable, well-founded, and clearly structured. It is like a reassurance to me. You don't need to belittle yourself. Regardless of the final outcome of Ningyuan, your insight alone is beyond the reach of ordinary people."