Chapter 1057
The Troops Arrive Late at Night
Chapter 1057 The Troops Arrive Late at Night
The moonlight gradually brightened.
But the hustle and bustle in the capital never stopped.
Zhang Jinyu closed the memorial in his hand, a strange look in his eyes. It was already this late, what else could they do? The Military Command was, after all, a government office. Did they even care about the face of the imperial court?
"Come in and talk."
"Yes, Lord Marquis."
The door opened, and Ning Bian rushed in, his face beaming with excitement.
"My lord, my lord, the men we sent have just returned. They say the families of those students who were admitted to the Imperial Academy for supplementary studies have come with servants and visiting cards to demand our people back. There are quite a few of them; they've blocked half the street."
Seeing Ningbian's unusual excitement, Zhang Jinyu found it somewhat amusing.
"Instead of going back to wash up and get some rest, you've suddenly become interested in this kind of thing. Since they were able to come with a visiting card, the person should have been released. I just wonder who picked up those people from Qinglian Academy."
If it were anyone from Qinglian Academy, they wouldn't have started a fight without being instigated. So, who took the lead was the most crucial factor, or rather, the Crown Prince of the West's people were among them.
"Well, my lord, it's not that I'm particularly interested, but these days, there are quite a few carriages speeding past our manor on the street, including some from the Rongguo Mansion. It's strange, though; so many people are going to the yamen, but the military command is being stubborn today. They won't open the gate, and they won't let anyone in. The group outside has even started banging on the gate."
Although Ningbian found his words strange, he didn't embellish them. These students from the Imperial Academy were certainly capable of causing a ruckus.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jinyu smiled.
"This has stirred up a hornet's nest. The supplementary students of the Imperial Academy are all bought in with money. Which illegitimate son from every family doesn't want to go? Speaking of the Military Command, in the East City, the Assistant Magistrate seems to be Zuo Anhe. Interesting, what is his purpose?"
After pondering for a moment, still unable to come up with an answer, he suddenly looked up and saw his official robe hanging on the stool. His mind cleared instantly. Tomorrow was the grand court assembly; this was a foreshadowing. What happened today would surely be brought up in court tomorrow. Would this be able to interrupt the complaints from the vassal kings?
"Tomorrow is the grand court assembly. I will be escorted by a hundred personal guards. I believe those vassal kings will not let this go easily. And there's the matter in Jiangnan; I don't know who else will be involved."
"Yes, my lord, I understand. My lord, the prince's troops are still at the post station outside the city. Should we have the brothers wipe them out?"
Seeing the Marquis's worry, Ningbian hardened his heart and decided it would be better to send troops in a surprise attack to wipe out the remaining troops at the post station. Then these vassal kings would become toothless tigers.
"What nonsense are you talking about? If all these soldiers die, do you think the princes will dare to go back? They're afraid the Emperor will take action. We can't get involved in these matters."
"Yes, my lord, I understand. Please rest well, my lord."
Ning Bian clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned and left, rushing off to the front yard.
Zhang Jinyu was left alone in the study. The tide was turning, and with the court's resources, the capital could only support the Beijing Garrison and the Imperial Guards. The local militia might be kept in place, but forming a fighting force was out of the question.
Thinking of the Taiping Rebellion in Jingnan, who were fearless in the face of death, now that they have gone to Lingnan, if they are not completely wiped out, they will surely rise again. At that time, it will be a time of cataclysmic upheaval. In addition, most of the border troops have suffered greatly from the interception of the Hu people outside the pass and the repeated southward invasions of the Donghu people. Now their strength has been greatly reduced, and the old dukes do not have the money to restore their strength. The border troops have fallen behind.
Thinking of all this, Zhang Jinyu fell silent, touching the folded document in his hand, muttering about the chaos that was brewing in Jiangnan.
Anhu Wharf in Beijing
The city had long since closed its gates and closed to the public. Apart from a few guards patrolling the docks, there were no civilians to be seen on the streets.
suddenly,
Outside the dock, the river stirred, with boat lights flickering faintly. Then, like will-o'-the-wisps, countless lights appeared in the lake.
On the foremost ship,
Prince Mu Shi of Dongping had been waiting for a long time. Prince Zhou Long of Chu, who was in the cabin, had already dressed and was yawning as he stepped out of the cabin. Seeing that the bow of the ship was already full of people, he walked over with dissatisfaction.
"Your Highness, why are you rushing to the capital? Look, it's the middle of the night, and the roads are difficult to travel."
It was pitch black all around. If it weren't for the fast boats scouting the area and the oil lamps illuminating the lake, how could we dare to sail so fast at night?
Hearing His Highness's complaint, Mu Shi smiled but did not speak. Instead, Jiao Ke from the Jiangnan camp, who was standing to the side, clasped his hands in response.
“Your Highness, the Prince’s urgency is for your own good. Suzhou is the furthest from the capital. After the withdrawal of troops from Xihe County, Prince Bei Jing will be the fastest to return to the capital. We are taking the waterway, which will take us on a roundabout route. If we are not in a hurry on the way, it will be quite slow to get back to the capital.”
As Jiao Ke explained, he observed the expressions on everyone's faces. He wondered what his uncle was thinking. He had rushed him back to Yangping with his troops, and before they could even gather and rest, he was hurriedly ordered to take the remaining 10,000 troops from the Jiangnan camp and accompany the prince back to the capital. Moreover, he was instructed to be on good terms with the Prince of Chu. It seemed that his uncle intended to support the Prince of Chu in his bid for the crown prince position.
Thinking of this, a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.
"Oh, that's true, but why the rush?"
The wind blowing from the bow of the ship brushed against his face, slightly cool and dispelling his drowsiness. King Zhou Long of Chu also noticed something amiss; it seemed that the King of Dongping's attitude had changed somewhat.
"Your Highness, the prosperity of the capital is unparalleled in the world. Prince Bei Jing left his generals behind to clean up the battlefield and rest, and hurriedly led Qi Yun, the military governor of Ping'an Prefecture, and Yun Guang, the military governor of Chang'an, a total of 40,000 troops back to the capital, taking a shortcut. It seems that there is only one purpose: to create momentum."
Mu Shi turned around and revealed a meaningful smile. Since Shui Rong had made his choice, he could not stand aside and openly support the Third Prince. Perhaps there would be unexpected gains in Jiangnan. It seemed that Shui Rong had the same idea. Finally, there was Marquis Luo Yun.
Looking into the prince's meaningful eyes, the Prince of Chu fell silent for a moment. It seemed that everyone had reached a tacit understanding. No wonder the prince had brought along the Yangzhou Prefecture army, the five thousand Zheng Su Prefecture soldiers, and the five thousand soldiers from Jinling City. He was trying to build up his own momentum.
"Your Highness, how do we create a stir at night? Besides, Marquis Luoyun is taking a detour south of the capital, so he'll probably be the last one to arrive."
There was no rush; even if it wasn't his first trip back to the capital, it wasn't his last either. But as soon as he looked up, he saw Prince Mu shaking his head.
"Your Highness is mistaken. Yesterday, Marquis Luoyun led his cavalry to escort Prince Jin back to the capital. Outside the South City Post Station, they encountered the carriages of the princes. For some unknown reason, the two sides clashed. In just half an hour, half of the heavily armored elite troops brought by the princes were slaughtered by Marquis Luoyun's elite cavalry, shocking the court and the public. Although the Emperor suppressed the matter, it will surely cause a stir in the court."
A strange glint flashed in his eyes as he pointed to the sky again.
"It's past midnight, and today is the Grand Court Assembly. Without Your Highness's participation, wouldn't the Grand Court Assembly be a mere formality?"
While the two were talking,
The lead speedboat had already reached the dock, its lanterns flashing. The captain at the bow then shouted.
"Your Highness, we're about to dock."
As soon as he finished speaking, the first few warships slowly approached the shore, lowered their decks, and then a large number of soldiers disembarked.
"Order that after the army lands, they immediately set up camp outside the dock. First, set up His Highness's tent so that he can rest early. Tomorrow morning, we will return to the capital."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
His personal guards immediately went to relay the order. As he watched the densely packed soldiers disembark, a murmur rippled through the King of Chu's mind.
"Reporting, Your Highness, we are less than twenty li from the east gate of the capital."
"Report, Your Highness, the vanguard has reached ten miles outside the capital and has begun to set up camp outside the Shili Pavilion on the official road."
Reports came in one after another.
The sight of Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, inside the carriage instantly invigorated him, almost completely erasing his fatigue from the past few days. Looking at the sleeping Prince Wei beside him, he sighed.
"Order the army to continue advancing and rest at the vanguard's encampment."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
At Prince Shui Rong's command, the army quickened its pace, advancing swiftly along the winding official road. Wherever the army passed, torches were carried, making them resemble dragons in the night. In less than half an hour, the army reached their camp. The commanders immediately ordered the troops to rest. Shui Rong dismounted first from his carriage and summoned his personal guards…
"Go and summon General Qi and General Yun."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The guards dispersed, and before long, Qi Yun, who was also exhausted, and Yun Guang arrived from the rear army. The two of them clasped their hands in greeting as they approached.
"Your humble servants Qi Yun and Yun Guang pay their respects to Your Highness."
The two men saluted, their faces weary but their eyes filled with excitement. They never expected that the prince would achieve such a feat, and that the White Lotus Sect's illustrious reputation of more than ten years would be defeated by the prince.
"You've come at the perfect time. There's no need for formalities, gentlemen. Tomorrow morning, the old general will be preparing his troops for a show of force to build momentum for the King of Wei."
Without saying much, when it came to mobilizing the army and building momentum, Shui Rong turned his attention to Yun Guang. Compared to General Qi, Yun Guang seemed somewhat unsettled.
"Yes, Your Highness, this humble general obeys."
General Qi spoke quickly, a hint of thought flashing in his eyes. Could it be that the Prince supports the Second Prince, or that the Prince and the Second Prince have reached an agreement? If so, the First Prince, Marquis Luoyun, and the Eastern Prince must also support the Third Prince. Is a choice about the path to the throne about to be made?
Yun Guang, on the other hand, was somewhat terrified under the prince's gaze. He thought about the intimacy between the prince and the second prince, and realized that the prince must have made a choice. If he followed suit, he would become the second prince's man in the future. But at this moment, he had no choice but to agree.
"Yes, Your Highness, I obey your command. However, Your Highness, I also have something to say."
"Oh, General Yun, please speak."
Shui Rong smiled, a smile that was as warm as a spring breeze. Now that the capital was in sight, this great victory had solved many problems. Mu Shi must be just as happy.
"Your Highness, such a grand return to the capital might attract the ire of the court officials. I have heard many rumors in Chang'an County that those officials are like old dogs."
"Haha, only you, Yun Guang, dare to speak out. Who else would dare to talk about those censors?"
Shui Rong laughed and said, "That's right. More and more officials are submitting memorials in the court, covering almost everything in the capital. Even many civil officials avoid them like the plague. Aren't they like old dogs?" He flicked his sleeves, reached out and patted Yun Guang's arm, and said again.
"At tomorrow's grand court assembly, even if officials submit memorials, they will be directed at Marquis Luoyun and His Highness the First Prince. Yesterday, Marquis Luoyun led his elite cavalry to escort Prince Jin back to the capital. On the way, they encountered a convoy of a vassal king, and the two armies actually clashed at the post station south of the city. If I didn't have reliable intelligence, I really wouldn't believe it."
At this point, Shui Rong couldn't hide the smile on his lips. General Qi was startled and somewhat disbelieving. When vassal kings entered the capital, they could only bring a small number of troops. If Marquis Luoyun was leading his army to the capital to create momentum for Prince Jin, the number of troops he brought would certainly not be small. Therefore, if a battle were to truly break out, how could those vassal kings be a match for him?
"Your Highness, we must not let our guard down. With Marquis Luoyun's military strength, dealing with several princes would be a piece of cake."
"General Qi is right, but the elite troops from the various princes' mansions at the post station... the princes brought quite a few armored soldiers, and they were very elite. Marquis Luoyun even had to use ballistae in the end. Unfortunately, the military command and the commander arrived too quickly."
This is particularly regrettable; if it had been any later, how many elite troops would King Zheng and his men have been able to retain?
"So, Marquis Luoyun is far too audacious. When we return to the capital, how will the princes let this go?"
General Qi was secretly astonished; they really dared to use such deadly force. He wondered if it was an order from the palace, since Marquis Luoyun's return to the capital seemed too hasty, given the route he took.
"After entering the capital, there are some things that can only be done but not said."
"Yes, Your Highness, I have learned a lot."
Seeing that the camp had been set up, Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, led his personal guards to the carriage, woke up Prince Wei, and escorted him down from the carriage. After entering the camp, Prince Wei kept yawning, glanced at the camp, sat on the soft couch, and asked.
"Your Highness, we have arrived at our destination."
"Your Highness, we are already outside the East Gate of the capital. We will return to the capital as soon as the city gates open tomorrow morning."
As soon as he finished speaking, the guards outside brought in the food, which consisted of stewed meat and naan bread, but thankfully there were also a few bowls of porridge.
"Your Highness, please eat something first. You've had a long day, so you mustn't neglect your health."
"Yes, Your Highness. We rushed back as fast as we could. By the way, we still haven't finished confiscating the silver of those White Lotus Sect thieves in the county town."
The King of Wei looked distressed; he hadn't expected there to be so much silver in the White Lotus Sect's camp. Their ability to plunder was unparalleled.
"Haha, Your Highness need not worry. Didn't I order Xue Shou to organize the army in the county town? Not a single tael of silver will be missing. I will personally deliver it to the Prince's residence. As for tomorrow, Your Highness should put on a new set of armor. The First Prince has already entered the capital. I imagine the Second Prince is waiting outside the West Gate."
The reminder brought King Wei back to his senses, and his previously drowsy expression vanished.
"The march is indeed incredibly fast. It seems we are the last ones to arrive. Fortunately, the city gates are not yet open. But I wonder why Marquis Luoyun arrived so quickly?"
This puzzled the King of Wei somewhat. Even if they traveled quickly, going around Runan and then south of the capital, they couldn't possibly get ahead of them.
“Your Highness, there is indeed something strange. Marquis Luoyun escorted Your Highness back to the capital with cavalry, and at the South City post station, he killed the elite troops escorting the princes. Although he did not achieve a complete victory, he killed quite a few people. I think this is not a coincidence. Now, news has come from the city that all the princes have returned to the Court of State Ceremonial to rest, and Marquis Luoyun and Prince Jin have entered the palace. They said they were reprimanded and then returned to their residences.”
Shui Rong didn't say much in his last sentence, which only made things more obvious.
"Ah, it seems that my elder brother is quite shrewd. He can even persuade Marquis Luo Yun. He takes the lead and proceeds step by step."
Ultimately, I was still somewhat envious. How could I not be jealous that someone as shrewd as Marquis Luoyun was placed by my father's side by my elder brother's side? Fortunately, Prince Bei Jing was quite capable; it seemed Prince Dongping was supporting his third brother, Prince Chu.
"Your Highness need not worry. Now that I have made my choice, I will naturally consider the best course of action for you. The best course of action now is to use the White Lotus Sect's great victory as an excuse to show off your power. In this way, the whole world will know."
The reason for going all out was what Elder Leng had said: since His Majesty had already made this arrangement, why not seize the opportunity to make the charade real? The path to the throne was fraught with danger, but the three princes were direct descendants. As long as the Empress was in power, even if in the end he was just a leisurely prince, if he succeeded…
"Alright, Your Highness, I'll do as you say."
The night accompanies you.
The curtains obscured the sky, and the once quiet night was soon broken by the encampment of the armies of Prince Bei Jing and Prince Dong Ping. The guards at the city gates, noticing the approaching chaos, immediately mobilized and went on high alert. The Imperial City Guard returned, entered through a side gate, and hurried towards the palace.
Many of the city gate guards then gathered together and whispered among themselves.
"I had just slept for a while when I was woken up. What could possibly happen in the capital?"
"Who can argue with that? Even some roving bandits wouldn't come to the capital."
"Who do you think is camped over there?"
Not only them, but many soldiers, bored and gossiping among themselves, were spotted by the patrolling captain.
"What are you saying? You have no manners at all. How dare you discuss such things? Stand properly."
A loud shout.
The soldiers, who had been somewhat lazy, all stood at attention with their weapons in hand. After an unknown amount of time, seeing that there was nothing happening outside the city, the captain received the news and lifted the guard, ordering the soldiers to take turns.
He was also somewhat displeased. He had heard about what happened yesterday, and hoped that things would be peaceful here by tomorrow morning.
I wonder if the Assistant Magistrate will come tomorrow. Just as I was thinking this and preparing to sleep fully clothed, I heard footsteps outside the city gate. I pushed open the door and saw that Magistrate Wu had already led his troops in, looking hurried. The servants and young men following behind him even brought bedding. What did this mean?
He quickly got up to greet her and asked in a low voice,
"Lord Wu, it's late at night, what are you doing?"
"What can I do? Guard the city gate, of course. Men, find a room to tidy up. I'm not going anywhere for the next few days."
"Yes, my lord."
(End of this chapter)