Chapter 1051
Three Questions in the Imperial Study
Chapter 1051 Three Questions in the Imperial Study
"Annoying! The Prince of Jin and the Marquis of Luoyun are here to pay their respects!"
"Annoying! The Prince of Jin and the Marquis of Luoyun are here to pay their respects!"
After a series of shouts,
Dai Quan led the Prince of Jin and Marquis Luoyun toward the Imperial Study. What should have been a short jog took Dai Quan a full half-incense stick's time to cover.
Prince Jin took it all for granted, unaware that Zhang Jinyu, following behind, was slightly suspicious. Was this action a sign of trying to calm things down? Looking at the interior and familiar corridors, it was exactly as it had been before they left.
Although he had doubts, he dared not act rashly. Following the example of the Prince of Jin, he lowered his head slightly and moved slowly.
Upon arriving at the door of the Imperial Study,
Dai Quan went in first.
"Your Majesty, the Prince of Jin and the Marquis of Luoyun are listening to the commotion outside the palace,"
"Let them both in,"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Dai Quan bowed, then walked to the door and shouted.
"Annoying! Prince Jin and Marquis of Luoyun, please enter!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Prince of Jin, holding the blood-red flag, stepped inside together with the Marquis of Luoyun.
Upon entering the room, the furnishings remained the same as before, with a desk on the east and west sides, and a partition under the east-facing window, where a screen stood. However, the landscape painting on the screen had been replaced with green bamboo and flowing water.
In the study, it wasn't just the emperor sitting on the dragon throne.
Zhang Jinyu saw that several Grand Secretaries were already standing on both sides of the imperial desk, obviously having arrived and been waiting. After walking a few steps inside, he noticed that Prince Jin's body was somewhat stiff, obviously due to nervousness. He quickened his pace and nudged Prince Jin's arm with his own to remind him.
The two then walked to the center of the hall and saluted.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty, may the Martial Emperor live ten thousand years!"
Even so, the sounds of armor clashing were clearly audible.
The elders seemed somewhat surprised. The Prince of Jin was wearing such heavy armor, and it wasn't new; there were faint traces of blood on it. Had the Prince of Jin also gone to the battlefield?
Just as the group was speculating amongst themselves, the Martial Emperor solemnly examined the two men. Luo Yunhou, without saying a word, appeared even more experienced, his sharp edge and murderous aura evident in his fierce fighting. Ding'er, on the other hand, had shed his childishness and his face was resolute. He could even wear heavy iron armor, and one could vaguely see his father's figure from that time.
Even though it's still here, recalling the past always leaves a sense of melancholy in my heart.
"Rise. You have overcome countless difficulties and dangers on your return journey from the south of the capital. You have gained valuable experience and this achievement is in accordance with the will of Heaven. What are you holding in your hand?"
His tone was neither hurried nor slow, revealing neither His Majesty's joy nor anger. But at this moment, Prince Zhou Ding of Jin had mustered his courage, stepped forward, handed the flag in his hand to Dai Quan, and replied.
"Your Majesty, these are the banners of our army that Marquis Luoyun has collected. He would order his personal guards to collect them after every battle, but the battlefield is complex and most banners cannot be collected in full. Those that are fortunate enough to be collected are either tattered or filthy. I feel ashamed for them."
At some point, the Prince of Jin, recalling the soldiers who fought valiantly on the battlefield, disregarding life and death yet never retreating, felt a surge of emotion. The scene of such fierce fighting was unforgettable, and his eyes instantly reddened. Dai Quan, already moved, reached out and took the thick stack of flags, then gently placed them on the imperial desk with both hands.
The Empress reached out and gently touched the top banner, then unfolded it. One corner was burned, and the bright yellow had turned a dark red, still showing signs of being soaked in blood.
"To die on the battlefield, to serve one's country with loyalty, I am very pleased that Marquis Luoyun has taken such an action. May I ask, my dear minister, who are the heroes who bear these banners?"
Zhang Jinyu didn't move his feet, his eyes were firm, he clasped his hands in a fist salute, and then bowed to the elders on both sides.
"Your Majesty, this southward campaign involved three major battles and countless smaller ones. These flags are remnants from the three decisive battles against the main force of the Taiping Rebellion. The topmost flag marks the area east of the Anyang Mountains. I led the vanguard of the Beijing Garrison, numbering over 300,000, to engage the main force of the Taiping Rebellion here. After a day of fierce fighting, we ultimately defeated their main force. Twenty to thirty battalions of the Beijing Garrison's left flank and forty to sixty battalions of its right flank advanced. All of my troops perished in battle, including eighteen deputy generals. They were all loyal to the country, and not one of them retreated."
Even Zhang Jinyu was somewhat disheartened at this moment. This was all compiled by the clerk later. When he received the news, he was somewhat incredulous. Then he pointed to the middle ones and said.
"Your Majesty, those in the middle are the Right Guard of the Imperial Guard, plus the cavalry led by Kang Mengyu. Originally, there were over 60,000 men. After this battle, the Right Guard was left with less than 30,000. Then, in the attack on Linshan County, they were almost completely wiped out in a single day. As for the remaining..."
Zhang Jinyu was at a loss for words. After a pause, she recalled Wang Ziteng's dejected look. The most reliable force of the Beijing Garrison was still not to be entrusted to anyone else.
The emperor couldn't touch the people of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes. While the Marquis of Xiangyang seemed suitable, the emperor didn't trust him because of his powerful connections. Realizing this, it became clear why the position of Military Governor of the Capital Garrison had gone to Wang Ziteng. Of course, the Jia family's influence was partly to some extent, but the most important factor was Wang Ziteng himself—he had pledged allegiance to the emperor.
"The rest are the troops from the city of Daliang, and the place where the government troops fought when we passed through the city of Da Liang on our way south. I ordered people to collect them. They were from Hongnong, Sizhou, Hexi, Hedong, and Daliang. Although they were defeated, they were still honorable."
The heavy voice conveyed the message directly to everyone in the Imperial Study, especially the Grand Secretaries, who had long since lost their inquisitive expressions and instead focused intently on the layers of flags on the table. They were nothing more than inanimate woven objects, but after Luo Yunhou's explanation, regardless of His Majesty's thoughts, they knew in their hearts that some things were better left unsaid.
"Good, good, I will remember them, and the court will remember them too. Dai Quan, collect them all and hang them at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, so that all the ministers who come in can see that the Great Wu Dynasty still has so many loyal people."
It was unclear whether the Empress had been provoked, but she stood up with a livid face, flicked her sleeve, and began to give orders. Then, as if she hadn't finished speaking, she continued...
"Throw away all the messy things at the entrance. On the two walls, frame them with the finest brocade and hang them up. I want to see who the loyal ministers are and who the treacherous ministers are."
His eyes snapped open, revealing a cold glint in them. Upon seeing this, Dai Quan immediately bowed and responded.
"Yes, Your Majesty, this old servant obeys the decree."
As if the anger in her heart had nowhere to be vented, the Empress paced back and forth behind her desk. After an unknown amount of time, Grand Secretary Li leaned forward slightly.
"Your Majesty, the officials of the Great Wu Dynasty are all loyal ministers. They receive salaries from the court and hold official positions, all for the sake of the court's safety. It is said that soldiers are paid for their service and risk their lives for the country, but even these provisions are managed by the officials and collected through taxes and provisions. What Marquis Luoyun said deeply inspires this old minister. Soldiers are risking their lives and officials are working diligently; this is the scene of a prosperous age."
"I second the Grand Secretary's statement."
"I second the motion,"
"I also second my opinion."
As soon as Grand Secretary Li Chonghou finished speaking, Lu Wenshan, Gu Yichen, and even Zhao Jingwu and others echoed his words. Zhang Jinyu was somewhat surprised by this behavior. Good heavens, the mouths of civil officials are truly unparalleled. Compared to them, those military officers are useless and could never catch up in eight lifetimes.
Looking again at the Martial Emperor's figure, he gradually stopped in his tracks, instead laughing heartily, sitting on the dragon throne, and after a moment, asked;
"Well said. With the civil officials working diligently and the soldiers risking their lives, how can a prosperous age not come? Marquis Luoyun, I ask you, why did you send troops to attack the carriages of several princes in the south of the city? What was the cause?"
A loud shout made everyone in the room tense. Zhang Jinyu's mind hadn't quite caught up yet; wasn't the conversation supposed to be about war? Why was it suddenly fast-forwarded? Prince Jin, Zhou Ding, reacted quickly, wanting to speak up in defense of the Marquis, but was silenced by the Empress's sharp gaze.
It was at this moment that Zhang Jinyu's lips curled into a smile, and she replied loudly;
"Your Majesty, I am innocent!"
After crying out his innocence, he bowed respectfully to the Grand Secretaries, saying, "Your Majesty, Grand Secretaries, you must avenge me! I was anxious to escort Prince Jin back to the capital, so I led my cavalry away from the main army and marched north overnight. This morning, when I reached the southern post station, I saw elite armored soldiers blocking the road. I had no idea what had happened in the capital, so I immediately reined in my troops and ordered them to halt."
However, that person on the other side, without any restraint, launched into a tirade of insults at me, displaying absolutely no manners. Since both armies were facing each other, the soldiers could hear everything. I could no longer tolerate it, so I retaliated with my own insults.”
At this point, Zhang Jinyu secretly observed the Emperor and the several Grand Secretaries' expressions, but unfortunately, they remained completely unmoved, clearly showing they were old foxes.
"Who knew that after we retaliated with insults, the enemy's right flank actually fired with short crossbows. My left flank cavalry, led by Kang Mengyu of the Imperial Guard, brought back the remaining remnants of the army. Because of this, I thought there was a disturbance in the capital, so I ordered my troops to be routed. The attack only stopped when Lord He of the Military Command arrived."
Furthermore, the elite status of the enemy's troops is truly astonishing. If I hadn't brought the captured ballistae, I doubt I would have been able to break through this formation.”
The last sentence was meant to sow discord among the princes, and sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of the Grand Secretaries and the Emperor changed slightly. In particular, the Grand Secretary Li turned to face him and asked.
"There are even elite troops that Marquis Luoyun can't handle? Is it true or false? No matter how elite those people are, they are just a new army. What, is the Marquis exaggerating?"
In that case,
The others also had some doubts. All the strong armies in the world had survived countless battles. Although they were civil officials, they were not completely ignorant about military matters.
"Hey kid, explain yourself, what makes you say that?"
Empress Wu folded the flags in her hands again and put them together, but Dai Quan noticed the pause in her fingertips as she put them down. Dai Quan was startled; His Majesty was suspicious.
"Your Majesty, in response to the Grand Secretary's questioning, the essence of elite troops lies in their morale and spirit. The soldiers and armor brought by the princes are of excellent quality and well-supplied. If it were an ordinary newly formed army, they would surely be at a loss or make numerous mistakes when faced with heavy casualties. However, the troops I encountered had memorized the battle formations. Even after losing more than half their number, they remained calm. In particular, after three volleys of crossbow fire, the enemy's formation remained solid, while my short spears and giant arrows were almost all gone."
Since there are so few left, the fear is that they won't be able to break through the enemy's formation. They'll have to rely on cavalry to charge, but that will result in a lot of deaths. Therefore, gathering these men isn't something that can be done simply by spending money.
How could Chief Minister Li not understand the key point? Marquis Luoyun was in a hurry to head north, so the quality of his troops would certainly not be high. Against ordinary soldiers, long swords would be sufficient, but against heavily armored elite troops, his methods of dealing with them would be far inferior.
It's a pity that the princes within the Great Wall have become a major threat. Suddenly, I felt a sense of loss. The positions vacated by the reduction of the power of the four princes and eight dukes have now been filled by the princes themselves. When will the court be able to rest easy?
"You're quite the smooth talker. Without even engaging in combat, you've already killed half of our forces. If you were given enough powerful weapons, even the most elite troops would be no match for you."
The Grand Secretary Li's words were full of sarcasm, and the other Grand Secretaries also smiled. It was truly a case of one person suppressing the world. Especially with Marquis Luoyun standing behind Prince Jin, could it be that His Majesty had already decided on the position of Crown Prince?
The Empress Wu, behind her desk, chuckled lightly and rebuked;
"That's utter nonsense. What, are you going to lead your troops to fight every single infantryman inside the pass? Think more carefully before you speak in the future. Considering your merit in escorting the Prince of Jin, we'll let this matter drop for now. Go back and rest."
It was unclear what the Empress meant, but she waved to the two of them. Prince Jin hesitated for a moment, but Zhang Jinyu was eager to leave, so he bowed first.
"Your Majesty's kindness is appreciated; I take my leave now."
He slowly retreated, then bowed slightly to the elders. Reaching the door, he stepped out and vanished in the blink of an eye. After seeing Marquis Luoyun leave, Prince Jin also bowed.
"Your subject takes his leave."
She had just reached the door, intending to say a few words to the Marquis, but to her surprise, she couldn't find him outside the palace. She inwardly grumbled that the Marquis had left too quickly, and was about to leave the palace when Xia Yu stopped her.
"Your Highness, Her Majesty requests your presence."
"Very well, it was my oversight. I forgot to inquire after the Empress Dowager's well-being. Let's go."
With a turn of his steps, the Jin Dynasty headed towards the Kunning Palace.
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation
With the departure of Prince Jin and Marquis Luoyun, some changes occurred within the hall. The Empress's thoughts were unfathomable, the Grand Secretary remained silent, and Lu Wenshan and Gu Yichen seemed lost in meditation.
At this moment, Zhao Jingwu, the Minister of War, spoke first.
"Your Majesty, this old minister has something to say."
"speak!"
"Your Majesty, esteemed ministers, with the suppression of the unrest in southern Beijing, this region has suffered a severe blow, especially southern Beijing, which is now a desolate wasteland. Marquis Luoyun and Prince Jin have petitioned that areas south of Qinzhou, such as Linzhou, Weizhou, Linyue Prefecture, Zhaozhou, and Dingzhou, have long been burned to the ground by the Taiping and White Lotus sects."
The silver prepared by the Ministry of Revenue is only enough to cover the pensions for the three armies. Rebuilding the cities south of the capital would be a bottomless pit of expense. I have also seen in the cabinet that Wei Xiangping, the Prefect of Runan, submitted a memorial requesting the reconstruction of Runan city, but the Marquis of Luoyun disagreed.”
Zhao Jingwu turned his gaze to Lu Wenshan and Gu Yichen. These matters were all approved by the cabinet, so why were the two of them withholding them? What was the reason?
Emperor Wu took a deep breath. He was fully aware of the situation in the south of the capital. This desolate place was neither worth keeping nor worth discarding, but the court still needed to save face. However, the court had run out of money.
Why did he disagree?
Before Minister Zhao could answer, Lu Wenshan stepped forward and replied,
"Your Majesty, this old minister was just about to take this opportunity to submit a memorial, but I was delayed. As Marquis Luoyun said, the south of the capital is dry and the water problem is not solved. The south of the capital is the source of the court's illness. Ten years ago, the White Lotus Rebellion broke out. Ten years later, the Taiping Rebellion broke out. Or perhaps ten years later, there will be the Black Lotus Rebellion. Therefore, Marquis Luoyun believes that Qinzhou and Linshan County should be used as the defense line, and General Gu Ping of the south of the capital should be stationed there for the time being. Prefect Wei of Runan City should go to Xihe County to make preparations. This will save the court a lot of money."
These words were blunt; they simply meant abandoning the southern part of the capital and keeping these cities as strongholds. As for Runan City, the situation was complicated and required further consideration.
Empress Wu fumbled with the memorial in her hand, remaining silent, then turned her gaze to Gu Yichen of the Ministry of Revenue.
Left with no other choice, Gu Yichen stepped forward and replied.
"Your Majesty, I agree with what Lu Wenshan said. The Ministry of Revenue's money should be used wisely. The relief funds for the three armies and the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet are just around the corner. We simply cannot afford to repair the various places south of the capital. Xihe County is the largest county in the country with abundant water resources, so it can still be restored. As for Runan City, if the south of the capital is not restored to its former state, Runan City's status will be dispensable. Therefore, I second this proposal."
As for what was said lastly,
The task of diverting water from Xihe County's lake to the south of the capital is no less significant than digging a canal. The manpower, resources, and money spent are immeasurable. How can we arbitrarily begin digging? Besides, there are countless fertile fields within the Great Wall; why add another burden?
With their words in mind, the Empress felt they were reasonable and well-founded, and finally turned her gaze to Chief Minister Li, asking him;
"Prime Minister Li, what are your thoughts?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, this old minister is listening."
As if he had just woken up, Li Chonghou slowly turned his body back around, his aged face bearing a hint of wisdom in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, as the saying goes, everyone has their own reasons. What you all said just now is reasonable, and I agree with it. Although Marquis Luoyun has suppressed the rebel sect, none of the rebel leaders have been captured. The same is true for Prince Beijing and Prince Dongping. Therefore, I am still worried. The unrest in the south of the capital is fine, but the blockade of Lingnan should be done quickly. The mountain tribes have been disobeying the court for many years. Marquis Luoyun's arrangements are certainly acceptable. Now, the most important thing is the tax revenue of Jiangnan, which is of utmost importance."
It was almost a definitive statement, hitting the nail on the head. The other cabinet ministers all understood that the words were too blunt, and only the Grand Secretary spoke without any reservations.
"Very well, let's do as the Grand Secretary says, blockade Lingnan, and issue an edict that whoever captures the bandit leader will be rewarded with a thousand gold pieces, granted the title of a thousand households, and bestowed with a noble title, regardless of whether the bandit leader lives or dies! Also, investigate the case of the breached dikes and flooded fields in Jiangnan as soon as possible, and arrest all those who opened the jade mines in Jiangbei. Since the previous dynasty was determined to seal them, how can I turn a blind eye!"
He shouted a stern rebuke, and everyone in the hall bowed down in submission!
"Here, Your Majesty!"
(End of this chapter)