Chapter 470
The Crucial Move
Jia Yu stood atop the valley, stained with blood and fire, his black cloak fluttering gently in the fading morning breeze.
Beneath my feet lay the haphazard corpses of Tatars and the ruins of my camp, ravaged by a mudslide.
The air was filled with the smells of gunpowder, blood, and the unique sweet and pungent odor of the river.
"Sir, the inventory is complete."
Zhao Da strode over, his face a mixture of exhaustion and excitement: "Over nine hundred heads were taken, and countless weapons, armor, and warhorses were captured! Our army... suffered fewer than a hundred casualties!"
His voice trembled slightly; this was undoubtedly a great victory that would shake the entire northern frontier.
After all, the Tartars have always been said to be invincible with ten thousand men, and such a great victory is rare in the past few decades.
Jia Yu nodded slightly, his face showing little pride. His gaze swept over the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, turning southward.
The victory at Yefuyu was merely a fulcrum that could influence the overall situation.
Even if the news spread, it might shake the court, but it wouldn't be enough to wake up those decadent nobles. However, this wouldn't stop him from planning a new background for himself.
"Send someone with an urgent message, along with this item, directly to the Ministry of War in the capital." Jia Yu handed the blood-stained sheepskin map to Zhao Da, his tone calm.
"The text emphasizes the dangers of the Tatar surprise attack's attempt to penetrate the heart of the territory, as well as the decisive actions and remarkable achievements of our army in turning the tide."
"And secretly send a message to the Jia family, instructing them to spend more money in the Ministry of War and other places..."
What he wanted was not just military merit, but also the right to speak, so that he could act legitimately.
"in addition."
He paused, lowered his voice, and said in a voice that was only loud enough for Zhao Da to hear, "Have our people in Shenjing spread the news of the great victory at Yehuyu, in which nearly a thousand Tatar elites were killed, as soon as possible, preferably to the point that everyone in Shenjing knows about it."
A glint flashed in Zhao Da's eyes, and he immediately understood Jia Yu's deeper meaning: this was to use the words of the common people and women and children to influence public opinion in the court.
He clasped his hands tightly and said, "Your subordinate understands!"
Just as Jia Yu was making arrangements for the next steps, Fairy Disenchantment, who was far away in the Land of Illusion, suddenly raised her head from in front of the Mirror of Love and Lust.
In the mirror, the aura representing the carnage and warfare of the North exploded like boiling oil in cold water, the intense golden-red light almost burning her eyes.
The dark energy that had been clinging to the Jia family's lifeline and was about to drag them into the abyss was forcibly dispersed by the golden energy coming from the north. Although it was not completely reversed, it had already reached a stalemate.
What alarmed her even more was that the figure representing Jia Yu in the mirror, which had originally been just a faint golden light, had now become much more solid, and vaguely resembled a dragon and a tiger.
Its radiance even began to actively absorb and integrate the remaining fortune of the Jia family and the scattered fortune of the northern frontier!
"This is outrageous!"
The Fairy Disenchantment's jade-like face was filled with malevolence. She made a hand seal with her slender fingers, attempting to forcibly correct the course of fate with her magic, but found that the golden light was exceptionally resilient.
It also possesses a majestic and righteous power of order, which subtly restrains her rules of love and entanglement.
"Great Master of Vastness! Immortal Master of Boundless Indifference!"
Her voice carried a hint of exasperation: "Why haven't we found that variable yet? Go quickly! If we can't trigger his emotional turmoil and disrupt his mind, then we'll find his weakness and wait for an opportunity..."
Before she could finish speaking, the cold glint in her eyes said it all.
News of the great victory at Yehuyu spread throughout the northern border towns even faster than the official imperial report, and reached the capital at an astonishing speed.
The name "General Cat and Dog" Jia Yu was no longer just a legend in the border army; it began to become a hot topic of discussion in the streets, alleys, teahouses, and taverns.
Especially within circles connected to the Jia family, this news caused a huge stir. Inside the Rongguo Mansion, Grandmother Jia was deeply worried about the increasingly dire financial situation, Baoyu's unruly behavior, and Yuanchun's loss of contact with the palace. Suddenly, she overheard whispers among the servants, saying that "Master Yu from the back street" had performed a great service at the border, killing thousands of Tartars.
"Which Master Yu?" Grandmother Jia asked, frowning.
Wang Xifeng hurriedly explained with a smile, "Grandmother, it's that boy from the back street who had no parents and always played with cats and dogs when he was little, named Jia Yu. I never expected him to be so successful!"
Upon hearing this, a complex emotion flashed in Grandmother Jia's cloudy old eyes.
The Jia family is currently in dire straits. If a member of the family could produce a son who holds military power, it might be a lifeline.
However, Jia Yu came from a collateral branch of the family and had no prior dealings with the main household...
"Go and find out the truth. If it is indeed a member of our Jia family who has performed a great service, we cannot let him wander outside and disappoint the clansmen," Grandmother Jia finally instructed.
Wang Xifeng was incredibly shrewd; she immediately understood Grandmother Jia's intention and smiled in agreement, but in her heart, she was already plotting how to take advantage of this opportunity to either win her over or exploit her.
However, before the Jia family could take any action, the imperial decree of commendation and new appointments had already arrived in the northern frontier along with the official report of victory.
The Battle of Yehuyu was of extraordinary significance, not only thwarting the Tatars' plot to launch a surprise attack on the capital region, but also greatly boosting the morale of the troops.
Overjoyed, the emperor promoted Jia Yu to the rank of Guerrilla General, a fourth-rank military officer, and granted him a gold medal, allowing him to act at his own discretion and take charge of the defense of Yehuyu and three surrounding passes. His troops were also replenished and expanded.
At the same time, orders were issued to all places to prepare defenses, and 200,000 troops were mobilized to defend against the enemy chieftain.
But is it too late?
Today, Jia Yu has risen from a mid-level officer to become an indispensable force on the northern border defense line, possessing the authority to take charge independently.
The conferment ceremony was extremely simple.
After a round of pleasantries about social interactions and interpersonal relationships, the eunuch delivering the imperial decree departed with a smile.
Jia Yu stood alone on the newly built command platform, looking down at the thousands of newly recruited, high-spirited soldiers under his command.
Fairy Jinghuan would never sit idly by and watch him continue to grow stronger; she would definitely use even more methods.
Sure enough, that night, as Jia Yu reviewed military documents in his newly established tent, a strange ripple stirred in his heart. He put down his pen and sharply scanned the dark night sky outside the window.
Almost simultaneously, a faint, ethereal chant, like Buddhist hymns, drifted from outside the mansion, seemingly there yet possessing a captivating allure. An unusual, sweet fragrance also seemed to permeate the air.
A cold smile curled at the corner of Jia Yu's lips.
"Have they finally arrived, Great Master Mangmang, Immortal Miaomiao? Or... those frivolous and wicked ghosts?"
He did not rise, but slowly closed his eyes. Deep within his sea of consciousness, the wisp of Heavenly Dao intent belonging to Huang Tian trembled slightly, emitting a pure and vast light of order, isolating all external demons and evil spirits from the outside.
Outside the mansion, two blurry figures, a monk and a Taoist priest, appeared in the night wind, looking at each other in bewilderment. They tried to use illusion magic to stir up Jia Yu's inner demons and find his weakness, but they found that his mind was as solid as a rock, and a magnificent aura surrounded him, making it impossible for them to make a move.
"This child actually possesses imperial aura protecting him?" The Great Master Mangmang's voice was filled with surprise and doubt.
"This is no ordinary imperial aura; it seems more like the aura bestowed by the laws and order of heaven?" Master Miaomiao's expression was solemn. "It seems that Fairy Jinghuan has offended someone she shouldn't have this time."
After hesitating for a moment, the two ultimately dared not forcefully break through the invisible barrier of order, and their figures gradually faded and disappeared into the night.
Inside the mansion, Jia Yu opened his eyes, a flash of golden light disappearing from them.
"How dare these demons and monsters try to peek into the secrets of heaven?" he muttered to himself, a hint of disdain in his voice.
He walked to the window, gazing towards the southern capital, his gaze seemingly piercing through mountains and rivers, landing on the Jia family mansion still immersed in the "Dream of the Red Chamber." (End of Chapter)