Chapter 938
Yun Guang Meets Shui Rong
Chapter 938 Yun Guang Meets Shui Rong
The next morning,
The dawn light is just breaking, like a veil, gently unveiling the curtain of night. At this moment, the sky is cloudless and the light is gradually opening.
The sun was rising slowly in the eastern sky. The soft sunlight illuminated the earth and reflected the elite troops of the government army who had hurriedly marched here to the outskirts of the capital.
"Report, Jiedushi, our army has arrived at the Shili Changting in the east city. Shall we set up camp?"
Outside the carriage,
Meng Qingyue, the deputy general of the Chang'an County government army, came to report. In the carriage, Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, and Yang Ye, the elder of the Five Lakes Alliance, slowly opened their eyes. They had been rushing all day and night. At dawn, they were extremely tired. They leaned on the bedding in the carriage and took a nap. In a daze, they finally arrived at the feet of the emperor in the capital.
Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar scenery outside the car, I was overwhelmed with emotions.
Not to mention the elder of the Five Lakes Alliance, Yang Ye, who was originally from the capital and had not returned to the capital for many years. He had almost forgotten his childhood memories of the capital. At that time, he only knew that he was determined to venture into the world of martial arts, take revenge, learn some skills, and sell them to the emperor's family.
unfortunately,
In the end, he joined the Five Lakes Alliance, became a disciple, and finally mastered his skills. However, things did not go as he wished. He was obsessed with power struggles in the alliance and became an elder. Looking back, things have changed. The young man who wanted to venture into the world of martial arts is now only an old man returning to his hometown.
"Yun Guang, the capital is still as prosperous as before, or rather, even more out of reach. When I lived here, I always wanted to go out and make a living. Now I think it's just a joke. I might as well get married and have children in that shabby house in my hometown."
The words sounded a bit sad.
For a while.
Even Yun Guang beside him couldn't help feeling a little melancholy after hearing this. Unless he returned to the capital to report on his work, he couldn't leave his post without permission. He lifted the curtain of his carriage and took a look at the towering city walls. He felt emotional. If the two Dukes Ning and Rong were still alive, how happy they, the old generals, would be.
"Yes, Uncle Yang, after so many years, the capital is still very lively, but we are not the same people as before. It is not an exaggeration to say that things have changed over the years."
The official road on the east side of the capital was bustling with common people and carriages of the Chamber of Commerce. It connected several docks of Fuling County and the Grand Canal Guards. It was a battleground for war. Goods from all over the world could be found here. It was extremely rich. Now it was managed by Shen Xueshi, the governor of the Grand Canal, and he managed it so tightly that no one could get in. He had no way to profit from it.
It seems that there is a chance, and I just know that the Chamber of Commerce of Luo Yunhou Mansion can use the water transportation here without any hindrance. I don’t know how much money I can get from this. I am really a favorite in the eyes of the emperor.
"Now that the army has arrived, you should make preparations early. I heard that Prince Beijing Shui Rong is not an easy person to deal with."
Yang Ye had no time to sigh and lowered the curtain. The most important thing at the moment was to find out why the court allowed Yun Guang to lead the army to the battle, what was the situation in Xihe County, and whether this move was made by the palace, the cabinet, or the King of Beijing.
"Uncle, rest assured. The manpower has already been prepared. After getting off the car, let the army rest first. I also ask you to accompany me to Beijing Prince's Palace to take a look at the situation."
Yunguang didn't want to wait. No one had replied to his letters to Rongguo Mansion. Not only was the capital completely in the dark, but most importantly, he had no idea what was going on. He was in a passive position.
"That's fine. Be quick. I think the palace might be waiting for you."
Yang Ye was not vague either. He could clearly distinguish the importance of things.
"Okay, Deputy General Meng, you lead the troops to cook here, so that the brothers can have a good rest and have a good meal. I will go to the palace in the capital."
"Yes, sir, I will obey your command."
After Yun Guang finished his instructions, he ordered his personal guards to raise the Jiedushi flag, sat in the carriage, and turned his horse around with his personal guards and headed towards the capital.
along the way,
Yun Guang's troops were dressed in bright armor, and his personal soldiers were also brave and valiant. Their fierce aura was overwhelming, and ordinary people could not help but feel afraid when they saw them. They consciously gave way to the official road and walked on both sides of the road, fearing that they would offend the nobles.
After the convoy left,
The people were curious and gathered together to whisper. Many people set up stalls on the roadside for passers-by to stop and drink tea. Someone glanced over and said in a low voice, "I'm so happy!
"My dear, what's going on? Why are there so many generals and soldiers coming in and out of the capital these days? What's going on?"
"Oh, brother, you just came from the countryside, you don't know this, there is chaos in the south, the court suffered losses, many people died, don't you think there will be many generals in the capital?"
A man sitting at the next table smiled, took a sip from the wine cup, and came over to ask. This action and question made many independent merchants curious and they all came over.
"Boss, bring me another pot of wine and put it on my account. I'd like to talk to you, sir."
Seeing the words coming out, the peddlers became interested, one shouted, another made a commotion, and people who knew each other and those who didn't, all joined in the commotion.
After a while,
The shopkeeper brought the drinks over and did not leave.
"Gentlemen, the drinks are here."
The man sitting there took the wine jug, put it directly to his mouth, took a big gulp, and looked refreshed.
This was the beginning of the story. He told the whole story of what had happened in the capital from beginning to end. He inevitably exaggerated the story, but the news was passed on after all.
Yun Guang, who had already entered the city, knew nothing about this. He walked west from the east gate, crossed Ningrong Street, and then headed north, to a palace by the Qing Lake, which was the residence of Prince Beijing. This route arrangement seemed to bring back memories of the past.
When passing by Ningrong Street,
Yun Guang deliberately asked him to walk slower. When he passed the tavern on the corner and entered the street, he saw that both sides of the street were filled with small stalls and vendors, and there were also many horse-drawn carriages coming in and out, transporting stones and wood.
When they arrived at Ningguo Mansion, the carriage almost stopped. Yunguang lifted the curtain and looked out. He saw that the gate of Ningguo Mansion was deserted and lifeless. Not only was the main door closed, but even the side door was half-closed. At the inner door, there were only two servants guarding it.
"Uncle Yang, this is the threshold of Ningguo Mansion, but now it looks so desolate, which is really sad,"
"Oh, why is that?"
Yang Ye was no stranger to Ningguo Mansion. He was the leader of the Eight Lords back then and was very arrogant. He came over to take a look and saw that it was indeed a desolate place. He felt even more sad in his heart that everything was just passing clouds.
"It's because the head of the main family violated the taboo of heaven and was convicted of crime. He was stripped of his title and exiled. Fortunately, he left behind a descendant."
Yunguang read about this in the court newspaper and felt very sorry.
"Then there is no other way. It is a dead end. However, the Rongguo Mansion in the west has become more prosperous. It is true that an old man in the family is like a treasure."
Yang Ye raised his head and looked west from the car. There were people coming and going. Many workers were getting ready to go to work, and some were eating breakfast together. There were at least three hundred people, which was in sharp contrast to Ningguo Mansion. It seemed that the fortune of the Jia family fell on the West Mansion.
Yun Guang was also a little surprised, and signaled the carriage to move forward. Passing by the open space between the two mansions, there were so many busy figures, and everyone who saw them was a little shocked. Thinking of what the visitor said, the legitimate daughter of the Jia family's Rongguo Mansion was named a concubine in the palace and was favored, it seemed to be true. That's all for his own matter.
"Uncle is right. The daughter of the Rongguo Mansion was made a noble concubine. Her favor has deepened. The Rongguo Mansion can be regarded as a royal relative."
"Humph, serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. In my opinion, the opposite may happen in the future. As long as the Ningguo Mansion is worshipped, there will always be a time for it to rise again."
This is not something Yang Ye made up. Since ancient times, the east is the most precious and the sunrise is the greatest. Even if the sun sets in the west, it is the way of heaven that it rises from the east. The way of heaven and human ethics cannot be changed. This is the general trend.
"This, maybe."
Deep down in my heart, I wanted to ask the old lady about this, but I swallowed it back, with helplessness in my eyes.
Beijing Palace,
This morning,
After Beijing Prince Shui Rong got up early, he asked his wife to arrange for someone to pack the luggage. In the outer room, Elder Leng had already arranged the matters for those who stayed in the palace. The chief guard Sang Shouyi and his personal soldiers were also waiting outside.
Inner room,
Shui Rong sat at the desk, picked up the brush, and wrote a letter to Princess Zhen. After drying it, he folded it, put it in an envelope, and placed it on the table. Then he stood up and walked out of the study.
Main hall flower hall,
Seeing that both of them were there, Shui Rong looked calm and asked first;
"Mr. Leng, have you arranged the expedited letter to Yunzhou?"
"Your Highness, everything has been arranged. I have written a secret letter to Qi Yun, asking him to lead 20,000 elite soldiers from the Northern Palace to sail directly to Xihe County. The Caoyun Guards Office has ordered Li Cong, the commander of the guards, to lead the navy ships northward. They will reach Beihe soon. The speed will not be slow. I just don't know if Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, can arrive today." In the past few days,
The prince received a letter from the palace, asking them to postpone their march south, saying that troops would be transferred from Chang'an County, and Yun Guang would lead 20,000 soldiers to accompany the prince. However, he did not know what was going on inside, so they dared to let the palace touch Yun Guang's position.
"He should be here. The palace has issued a death order to him. The war in the south is intense. I have been waiting for Yun Guang in the capital for two days. It is possible that Qi Yun's army has already boarded the ship. If he is slower, I will definitely reprimand him. I just don't know if the 20,000 elite troops who will first board can make a difference. The soldiers are still too few."
Shui Rong has now obtained a lot of intelligence from the Ministry of War. One of the points is how General Jingnan was defeated. It can be said that he was not defeated, but was defeated by the enemy army with superior forces. Fortunately, he was in the Fallen Leaf Valley, where the terrain is narrow and he can retreat calmly. If he was outside the valley, it would be dangerous.
"Your Highness, don't worry. Ru'nan Governor Wei Xiangping, even if he can't defend Ru'nan City, can calmly retreat to Shizhou in the north. This place is dangerous and easy to defend but difficult to attack. Even if the White Lotus Sect divides its troops and goes north, that will be their death. Your Highness, the 20,000 first-class armored soldiers are good at fighting here. The number of soldiers is not important.
In addition, Yun Guang's 20,000 troops should not be underestimated. As long as they can contain the main force of the White Lotus Sect and buy time for Luo Yunhou, this battle will be won."
Leng Shiwen had no intention of really dealing with the White Lotus Sect, he just wanted to contain it. This way, he wouldn't have to worry too much and he could save manpower. The most important thing was to "nurture the enemy and protect himself", so why not do it?
Shui Rong touched his chin, his eyes flickering. This opportunity to lead the troops was extremely difficult. Finally, the emperor spoke up. He knew what Leng Lao meant, but the King of Wei was the military supervisor, so how could he deceive them?
"Well said, steady and cautious is the best strategy. How do you explain this to the King of Wei?"
Although the three princes are young, Shui Rong dare not take it lightly. Born in the palace, how can it be simple? After Qi Yun leads the troops south, perhaps, he can have a good talk with King Dongping on how to divide the troops and defend. As for the matter of exterminating the White Lotus Sect, Shui Rong sneered. It is unknown which prince is behind this, so it would be good to make a fuss.
"Replying to Your Highness, the King of Wei is not familiar with military affairs, nor does he know the art of war. If you can keep it a secret, then keep it a secret. As long as you preserve your strength, the palace will not blame Your Highness."
Leng Shiwen's eyes flickered. As the saying goes, one should take one step at a time. Even if there are capable people around the King of Wei who can see it, the situation on the battlefield changes rapidly. As long as the strength is preserved and the White Lotus Sect's encroachment is withstood, it will be a great achievement and the court will definitely reward it.
Shui Rong nodded, thinking about something. They all said that the King of Wei was smart, but what could he do when facing those bandits? The bandits were powerful and he should avoid them. But thinking of what Marquis Luo Yun said, he got a headache again. He would talk about it when he got there.
"Shouyi, how many shadow guards have been gathered at the mansion?"
"Your Majesty, I have assembled a thousand shadow guards in the palace and are waiting for your instructions."
The chief guard, Sang Shouyi, still looked indifferent.
Shui Rong looked unconcerned and nodded. That was good. Just as he was about to speak again, the housekeeper came hurriedly outside the door.
"Your Majesty, Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, is here to pay his respects to you,"
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the room looked up, their eyes flashed, Shui Rong smiled and shouted;
"Quick, please."
"Yes, sir."
The housekeeper responded and left in a hurry. Leng Shiwen narrowed his eyes and guessed;
"Your Highness, I think something must have happened for Yun Jiedushi to come to the capital. Yun Guang has always been on good terms with the Jia family, but he was transferred there for no reason. Your Highness, you should have a chance to find out what's going on."
I always feel that something is fishy. There is more than just Yun Guang in Chang'an County. There is also a garrison general named He Yonghua. Now that Yun Guang has been transferred out, doesn't it mean that the He family has taken control of Chang'an County? You should know that the commander of the Five Cities Army is the head of the He family. This is too fishy.
"Wait until he comes in and ask him. The He family can't possibly replace Yun Guang's position. If the He family controls Chang'an County, then the position of the military commander will not be within their reach. He Yongxi, that old fox, wouldn't be so unwise. There must be something else going on."
While talking,
There was a sound of footsteps outside, and a man with his head held high walked in. He had a beard and looked tired. It was surprising that a dignified governor would have such an attitude. Shui Rong stood up and walked over to ask;
"Brother Yunguang?"
This sound,
It was unclear whether the shout was of tenderness or hesitation, Yun Guang took a step forward, his eyes reddened, and he bowed his head.
"My Lord, I am late."
"How can this be? We are old brothers. Someone, come and serve tea."
Shui Rong's expression was touched. He helped Yun Guang up with both hands and sat down together. The maids came in one after another and served tea and snacks.
Yun Guang wanted to speak several times, but seeing the eager look in the prince's eyes, he did not speak. He picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of tea to cover up his words.
"Yun Guang, you are in trouble in Chang'an County. Why did they transfer you here?"
Seeing Yun Guang's face, Beijing Prince Shui Rong collected his thoughts and guessed most of what was going on. He thought that Yun Guang himself had caused trouble, which alarmed the palace and led to him being called up at this juncture.
"Your Highness has a keen eye. I accidentally got involved in an affair. The He family, the garrison commander, and the Chang family, the prefectural governor, had a conflict between their sons and daughters. I wanted to mediate, but when I saw that the matter was over, I didn't expect that the youngest son of the He family and the woman who broke off the engagement committed suicide by jumping into the river overnight. They had a huge grudge, and I have no place to seek justice."
He simply told the story, but the letter from the Jia family of Rongguo Mansion was not mentioned. Shui Rong narrowed his eyes and looked at Yun Guang steadily. If the matter was so simple, why would he look like this? There must be a lot of things behind it. He patted Yun Guang's arm and comforted him.
"It's an unforeseen disaster, and it's over. I'm very happy that you can come today. I won't mention anything else. Speed is of the essence in war. Today, we must travel overnight. I hope to reach the border of Xihe County tomorrow. Do you understand?"
"Why are you in such a hurry, Your Majesty? Even if we take the shortest route and go through the South Mountain Pass, it will take two days, unless we travel light."
Yun Guang frowned, wondering why they were in such a hurry. The soldiers were exhausted from traveling so fast. Would they have time to rest?
"Don't worry. I have already mobilized a lot of horses and carriages, and the soldiers and baggage are following behind. Time is running out. I think Dongping King Mu Shi has already passed Fuling County. When he reaches Tang County, he will draw 30,000 soldiers from the Jiangnan camp to join us in Yangping and stop the enemy on the spot."
Shui Rong had memorized the map of Xihe County by heart these past few days. To the north of Runan City was Shizhou, and behind Shizhou, close to the canal, was Yangping, where the waterway was unobstructed. Opposite the canal was Suzhou Wharf and the Jiangnan Camp. Therefore, the nearest route for the troops to gather was here. If the White Lotus Sect was unstoppable, after joining forces with the main army, they would retreat to Xihe County City, leaving only a small army in Yangping to cooperate with the guards to contain them.
But Yun Guang didn't know this. From what he heard, Runan City was still in the hands of the imperial court. So why would they go to Yangping to join the group? Why didn't they gather on the east coast of Runan?
"Your Majesty, if we gather troops in Yangping, it will be too far from Runan. I am afraid that the governor of Wei County will not be able to hold on. If Runan City is lost, I am afraid that the palace will blame us."
Yunguang hadn't been back for many years. When he came back, he only went to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to see the old master. The rest were nothing more than noble old relatives. Unfortunately, the soldiers didn't drink much blood, and there were two guards watching them. He didn't have much money, so he couldn't afford to have too many spies, so many news came too late.
"That was a thing of the past. Now, Wei Xiangping has probably led his troops to retreat to Shizhou City. The White Lotus Sect has made a comeback, and I am not sure what to do."
Seeing that Yun Guang didn't seem to be lying, Shui Rong explained with a wry smile that the shadow guards had sent news last night that Runan City had held out for ten days, and the soldiers had fought desperately to escape. Wei Xiangping was even shot in the hand. If his men hadn't fought desperately to clear a bloody path, he would have died there.
"Your Majesty, do you mean that this trip south is a life-or-death struggle?"
There was some surprise on Yun Guang's face. Wasn't it said that the Taiping Sect in southern Beijing was very powerful? When did the White Lotus Sect become so powerful? This shouldn't be the case in southern Beijing!
Who knows,
Shui Rong smiled coldly, put down the tea bowl in his hand,
"Yun Guang, you are also a veteran of the Beijing Camp, and you have spent a year at the border of the Northern Palace. In the imperial court, we will never fight in a battle that we have a chance of winning. If we are asked to fight, we will definitely have no hope of winning. It is because of this that we have a chance, and I have a chance to command the army. We are not Marquis Luo Yun, so opportunities are rare, don't you understand?"
Yun Guang was startled, looking at the prince in front of him. Sure enough, the little prince had grown up. What he said was right. Unfortunately, even if the opportunity came, not everyone could be Luo Yunhou.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will keep your words in mind. My 20,000 troops are already waiting at the Shili Pavilion in the East City. Please give your orders, Your Majesty."
"Okay, that's good to know. Now that you are ready, set off immediately. Elder Leng, you will personally lead the troops to protect His Royal Highness the Prince of Wei and follow behind him all the way!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
(End of this chapter)