Chapter 949
The Emperor's Thoughts
Chapter 949 The Emperor's Thoughts
"Ohh Ohh ohh!"
"Hurry up, hurry up, get all your stuff and set off south immediately. Don't delay."
"First battalion, assemble and lead the way. Cavalry scouts, leave the camp first."
Smoke and dust rose up, and there were constant shouting and scolding.
In the camp of Anyang Mountain, hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses were like the morning light at dawn, and the murderous aura was rising into the sky.
The first to set off was General Yang Shixiong of Dong'an, followed by the central army and rear army of Marquis Luo Yun, and finally General Gu Ping of Jingnan with more than 30,000 troops. With the sad sound of horns and drums, the army slowly left the camp and headed south.
Following the official road, advancing rapidly,
now,
Zhang Jinyu did not sit in the carriage, but rode a horse, summoned several generals to his side, and rode together.
"Report, Lord, General Gu from Jingnan has arrived,"
"Let him come over."
"Yes, Lord Marquis."
Zhang Jinyu waved his hand slightly, and ignored the generals of the Beijing camp around him. He asked them to come today to serve as witnesses. After all, the events in the south have always been confusing. Even the governor has surrendered to the enemy, and the entire officialdom has not caused any waves. If you say there is no trickery, no one will believe it.
The other generals did not understand what he meant, but they also knew that Marquis Luo Yun would not ask them to come for no reason, so they all remained silent. Even a few generals with quick tempers did not dare to breathe. They could only lower their heads slightly, look at each other, and dared not speak.
Zhang Jinyu rode leisurely on the horse without any explanation. Those who understood naturally understood, and those who didn't understand would find it useless even if he explained it to himself.
Not long,
Two people came from behind, their faces were resolute, but they looked a little weak and pale. Fortunately, they were strong and wore washed and polished official robes, which did not damage their appearance. They were General Gu Ping of Jingnan and Qin Yunjiang, the guard of Linyue Mansion. They had already ridden to the side and bowed with fists.
"General Gu Ping (Qin Yunjiang) pays respect to the Marquis."
Hearing the news, everyone turned their heads and looked over, only to see two generals approaching with murderous auras on their bodies. Their washed clothes were still stained with blood, which meant they had escaped death.
This scene,
Zhang Jinyu let it fall naturally in his eyes and asked;
"General Gu, tell me about the situation in Jingnan. The governor Yu Shiyuan is a veteran of two dynasties. How did he defect to the enemy? How did you find out? And who is this person next to you?"
Just now, I only called Gu Ping, even the deputy general was not allowed to come. This person looks very impressive, so he must be from an important background.
Hearing the question from the Marquis, Gu Ping's face darkened and he quickly replied respectfully,
"My Lord, the man next to me is Qin Yunjiang, the commander of Linyue Mansion. It was he who led the army to break through the siege and joined forces with me. That's how we were able to escape danger in Luoyue Valley and survive."
Qin Yunjiang, I seem to have heard the name somewhere, I should have heard it in the imperial study of the Yangxin Palace, but I can't remember when I heard it, but it doesn't matter. This person has some talent, but the fall of such an important city as Linyuefu also shows that his talent is average. The place where weapons and armors are smelted was lost at will. Later, the fall of Linshan County City may not be without his contribution.
"Well, we'll talk about his story later. Just tell us as much as you know."
Zhang Jinyu still couldn't figure it out. Yu Shiyuan was about to be buried, and even after death he had to consider his descendants. But who could persuade him, or was he being held hostage and forced to do so? None of those officials in the court had seen him.
"My Lord, the reason I said this is because Mr. Zeng from the prefectural government of Linshan County sent someone to pass on a secret letter to me, saying that most of the county officials were colluding with each other, corruption was rampant, and they misappropriated the silver and grain from the government treasury, making it impossible for the government to provide disaster relief. Especially after I led my troops south, all the new troops in the city fell into the hands of the governor, cutting off my army's food and wages. I had no choice but to flee west with General Qin."
This is the basis of Gu Ping's suspicion. When a large army is traveling, the most important thing is the supply of food and fodder. Without food rations, let alone an army of 30,000, even a thousand people cannot be commanded.
Zhang Jinyu's eyes were always on the person in front of him. When he spoke, his eyes did not evade, and he did not seem like a liar. It seemed that his guess was correct, but he did not know who the person behind him was.
"General Gu is so brave that he can hold on like this. I wonder who is the person behind this, General Gu?"
The question was asked lightly, but everyone who heard it lowered their heads. Even the arrogant soldiers in the Beijing camp wanted to cover their ears and dared not say anything more.
"My Lord, I don't know. After I led the troops away, I was in a state of panic. How could I have thought of these things? Please forgive me, my Lord."
Gu Ping and Qin Yunjiang bowed their heads again while sitting on their horses, not daring to raise their heads.
"Alright, I'm not trying to cause trouble for you, General Gu, but the 100,000 soldiers that General Yin faced in this encounter are obviously not the Taiping Rebellion Army. Not to mention their superior weapons and armor, and their sophisticated battle formations, even their generals have been trained like death warriors. Looking at the whole world, who can have such strength?"
Everyone was silent. Those who could have such strength were nothing more than those who had military merits and aristocratic families. Even the princes within the Great Wall could have such strength. In addition, there were four kings and eight dukes. Who dared to say more? Even the Marquis of Luo Yun outside the Great Wall had such strength now? Everyone was muttering in their hearts, but as if they were in sync, no one spoke up.
Zhang Jinyu looked around and saw everyone's expressions. He thought it was boring and shook his head.
"Gu Ping, I will send you an additional 20,000 troops, plus the 40,000 troops under your command, for a total of 60,000. After passing Daliang City, head straight to Huaizhou. If the enemy army is weak, you will capture the city and garrison there. If the enemy army is strong, you will lead the troops back to Linshan County City. Don't compete for credit and miss the big event."
The discussion last night was late, Zhang Jinyu asked all the generals to go back, leaving only the Huaizhou City issue, waiting to discuss it with Gu Ping today. If he is not willing, he will replace the person.
"My Lord, I obey your orders, but as I learned from the camp, Huaizhou City should be occupied by the White Lotus Sect. If we capture this city, do I need to continue to lead the troops eastward to cut off the White Lotus Sect's retreat to Qinzhou?"
Gu Ping knew the terrain of southern Beijing best. There were only two main roads from southern Beijing into Runan City. One was to the east from Huaizhou City, and the other was to the north from Qinzhou City. Both were possible. If Huaizhou was occupied, the White Lotus Sect would have only Qinzhou to retreat.
Zhang Jinyu touched his chin. He knew the location of Qinzhou, but he couldn't take any risks. If he really cut off the White Lotus Sect's retreat, those bandits would recklessly advance northward and cause chaos in Xihe County. It would be like a wolf among sheep, which would be extremely dangerous. However, it was also a good opportunity to wipe out the White Lotus Sect. After weighing the pros and cons, he shook his head.
"You just guard Huaizhou and keep a close eye on the movements of Runan City. Remember, you have to eat one bite at a time. The first thing we need to deal with is the Taiping Sect and the White Lotus Sect. We still have the Prince of Beijing and the Prince of Dongping working together. We have to keep some incense for them."
Since Beijing Prince Shui Rong has already promised him, how can he be so ruthless? Up to now, the strength of the Taiping Sect is still unknown, so it is not too much to be careful.
"Yes, Lord, I was reckless,"
Gu Ping was slightly stunned. He was no longer the commander-in-chief, so how could he still give orders to Marquis Luo Yun? This was beyond the rules, so he quickly nodded his head and agreed.
"How long until we arrive?"
"My Lord, according to the itinerary, we can reach Daliang City at midnight."
General Hu Shoucheng of Dingbei quickly replied that he had traveled this route three times, and had even led his cavalry to chase the Taiping sect bandits for a while, gaining a lot of rewards.
"Well, that's it. Tell the brothers to be patient. When we get to Daliang City, except for Gu Ping's troops, the rest of the army heading south will rest for a day before making plans."
Zhang Jinyu actually wanted to meet Wang Ziteng. There were some things he needed to discuss, and there was also a battle report. Last night, he had discussed with His Royal Highness Prince Jin and wrote a memorial and a secret letter, which had been sent back to the capital in an expedited manner. He must not take it lightly from now on.
"Yes, Lord Marquis."
The generals received the order and dispersed.
In the capital, in the imperial palace,
The towering palace still stands there, but the Changle Palace in the northwest corner of the palace has changed. Entering from the main gate of the palace, you will see a tall rockery with a large cauldron in front of it and long incense burning.
After going around the rockery,
There is also a newly built pool, which is built into a Tai Chi Bagua pattern, with some swords placed in it. There are also some granite scattered at the bottom of the pool. I don't know what it means.
Entering the inner temple,
The windows around the hall have been decorated in Taoist style. Rows of candles are placed on both sides of the hall. The bases are made of fine jade and are extremely smooth.
at this time,
Eunuch Xia, the chief supervisor of the six palaces, knelt on the ground and carefully reported the intelligence presented by the secret guards;
"Reporting to the Emperor, Changsheng Emperor, this secret letter from Jiangnan was sent by Yang Chi, the seal holder of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who brought several ships of Jiangnan jade to the Emperor. The jade was carefully polished into Taoist jade by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Now, some of it is temporarily displayed according to the style of the palace. The general has received the secret letter from the Emperor and replied, telling the Emperor not to worry, he will know what to do, and I think there will be no big problems."
Xia Shouzhong explained to himself. His legs and feet felt numb, but he didn't dare to stand up.
Not far ahead, inside the gauze of the tent, the retired emperor Zhou Shengzhuo was wearing a Taoist robe, holding a Buddhist whisk in his hand, and wearing a wooden hairpin on his head. He really had a bit of immortal style and said with narrowed eyes;
"That's good. I heard that more than 100,000 soldiers led by Wang Ziteng were defeated. Was it true or was it intentional?"
The question was a little abrupt, and Xia Shouzhong's heart tightened. Defeat was defeat, how could it be done on purpose? On the battlefield, if one is not careful, one's life will be lost. Who dares to really let go? But the emperor asked so much, obviously there was something behind his words. After thinking for a while, he lowered his head and replied;
"Reporting to the Emperor, according to the urgent report, I don't think it was intentional. The secret line of the Imperial City Department has received a secret report that the Taiping Sect has already set up an ambush. In a bloody battle outside the city for four hours, they completely defeated Wang Ziteng's troops and continued to pursue until the soldiers surrounded Daliang City. Whether it was the rebel army or the court, the corpses were scattered all over the ground. It was a horrible sight."
These words were reported by the secret guards in the palace of the retired emperor, without missing a word. When the voice stopped, there was no movement on the bed in front of him. He secretly raised his head to take a look, but the curtain and gauze blocked his view of the retired emperor's true face.
After a while, until I lost feeling in my legs, I heard a voice.
"Stand up. In this case, the emperor has ordered Marquis Luo Yun to be the commander, which is still important. However, there are many soldiers to lead, and the King of Jin is too young, so I'm afraid that the military supervisor will be useless. That's all. As long as we can wipe out the enemy army, it doesn't matter if we have more responsibilities."
The voice was intermittent, and there were some obscure meanings in it. Xia Shouzhong kowtowed with difficulty, supported himself on the ground, and eased his ankle, then he stood up unsteadily.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have given instructions. They must keep a close eye on it. Prince of Beijing Shui Rong has already led his troops eastward. Prince of Dongping Mu Shi has also led the King of Chu to the Jiangnan camp, hoping to stop the White Lotus Sect from entering Xihe County. The secret guards reported that Shizhou in Xihe County was surrounded, and Wei Xiangping, the governor of Runan, led his troops to fight to the death. The situation is in imminent danger."
Xia Shouzhong's legs were shaking. He didn't want to say these words, for fear of disturbing the emperor's cultivation, but he had to say them. The secret forces of the Northern Palace and the Eastern Palace had not been completely eliminated. Now the tribute teams of the Western Palace and the Southern Palace were still in the capital. The princes of the vassal states were all looking forward to the birthday banquet of the emperor, so how could these things be missed?
"Humph, the two of them are still thinking about those trivial things. War is no joke. You can't make the thieves retreat just by talking. The White Lotus Sect! I didn't expect them to still be there. They are really haunting. It's a pity that the two old Dukes of the Jia family put in so much effort at that time."
Looking back on the past, the two old Dukes of the Jia family, regardless of life and death, led the entire Beijing camp army and the government army to fight desperately to the south of Beijing. They fought three fierce battles in a row and won three battles in a row. Only then did they kill the main force of the White Lotus Sect and recover the lost territory.
At last,
It also forced those evil women and thieves to hide everywhere. Although no one knew where they finally fled to, all the high-level guardians of the White Lotus Sect were killed in the battle, and they never recovered from it. Unexpectedly, more than ten years later, everything started over again, and only I was old.
His mind was heavy, and he was unwilling to give up. He was cautious at every step, but he could not take one more step. Now the emperor has laid the overall situation. The rest of the people are just wishful thinking. However, the fact that many sons can come to the capital is also a reminder for him. He asked again;
"Does the emperor have any other orders? How did he deal with those princes who wanted to come to the capital?"
Eunuch Xia had already stood up, bowed slightly, and replied;
"Reporting to the Emperor, there has been no movement from the Emperor yet, but it will be soon. This is the Emperor's 60th birthday, and the ministers are offering suggestions. The Emperor also said that he wants to have a grand celebration, so we should set up the Qianqing Palace, and I think it won't go wrong."
Xia Shouzhong did not dare to say that the matter was still under discussion. The emperor should have his own thoughts on the details.
"Well, that's good. My sixtieth birthday must be celebrated in a grand manner. The four kings and eight dukes, as well as the nobles of the capital, must all be invited. The cabinet ministers and old officials must also be informed. There's still time now."
The people mentioned by the retired emperor Zhou Shengzhuo were mainly the Western King Gongze and the Southern King Langyun. It seemed that the plan made in the past had come to nothing. The Western Region controlled by the Xianbei people could not be taken back. This was a worry in his heart. Unfortunately, the people were useless and Gongze was old. Alas, many secrets in the past were like passing clouds and smoke. It was all in vain.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will notify them, but I dare not go beyond the rules of the West Palace and the South Palace."
It's easy to talk to people in the capital, no matter if they are from aristocratic families or military meritorious service, all they have to do is send a eunuch to pass on the message. However, the court has always been wary of the Western Prince's Mansion and the Southern Prince's Mansion. If these two princes enter the capital, His Majesty will not know what to think.
"Come and serve me. I have written a letter. Just send someone to deliver it to the Yangxin Palace. Don't ask about other matters."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Xia Shouzhong nodded, walked closer carefully, and then lifted the curtain and walked in. What he saw was a large yellow cushion. The emperor was sitting cross-legged with his eyes slightly open, and he handed over a memorial.
Seeing this, Xia Shouzhong quickly lowered his head, took it with both hands, carefully stepped back, and when he got outside, he called a eunuch in charge, gave him a few instructions, and had him deliver the memorial to the Yangxin Palace.
The entire Changle Palace became silent in an instant, as if no one was there.
The opposite of the bustle here is in the harem. Now there is a new imperial concubine in the harem. Which woman who enters the palace does not have the same idea?
Jia Yuanchun of Chunyun Palace sat in the room with a blank expression and a trace of fatigue in her eyes. In the past few days, many concubines and imperial concubines have come to the palace to inquire about the news. This has been going on for several days in a row, which is unavoidably tiring.
"Master, otherwise I will stop the visitor and tell him that the queen is not feeling well."
Baoqin's eyes were filled with heartache. Not only did the queen have to go to Kunning Palace to pay respects to the queen every day, but she also had to deal with those concubines with bad intentions. How could she have a good rest?
"Alright, girl, you have been in the palace for quite some time. Don't you understand what is going on in the palace? It's just like flattering the powerful and bullying the weak. Just deal with it these few days. By the way, I have sent money to Chief Steward Dai and Chief Steward Xia as a tribute."
These are the key points. With the gift of congratulations sent by the mansion, the big problem was indeed solved, but I still couldn't be happy in my heart. As the saying goes, when you are rich and powerful, no one will understand your well-being.
"I know, Madam. I left a few spies outside. When Concubine Xu left yesterday, she ran into Shixuan Xiao. The two of them seemed to have an argument. Later, Concubine Feng passed by and persuaded them to go back. I was afraid that they would say something nonsense, so I bribed a few servants in the laundry department to leave them there."
"Have some tea, madam."
While they were talking, Yuncai came in with freshly brewed tea and carefully placed the tray on the table. Baoqin came over to help and poured a bowl of tea for the empress, set two plates of cakes on the table, and served her carefully. The empress was good at everything except that she was not competitive. After the emperor canonized the empress, he did not come here once, for fear that someone would make a fuss about this matter.
"Well, Yuncai is honest. As for you, you should keep a closer eye on your mouth and stop asking about things outside the palace."
Jia Yuanchun's thoughts had already drifted back to Rongguo Mansion. Things in the palace had not changed in more than ten years. How could they change for her!
"My lady."
(End of this chapter)