serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 296 Before Departure
It was already dark, and a few pieces of moonlight shone into the study through the window lattice.

"Squeak!"

Lin Daiyu came in and lit the lantern on the desk.

Jia Hu sat silently in front of the book desk, lost in thought.

"what happened?"

"."

Jia Hu glanced at her, and pushed the copy on the desk over.

Lin Daiyu picked up the copy and looked at it, her expression changed, and she asked Jia Hu, "Is anything wrong with father?"

Jia Hu shook his head. He didn't expect that the elegant and generous Lin Ruhai would go on a killing spree in Jiangxi, killing more than 20 officials in one go, even the chief envoy, and several second-rank and third-rank officials who retired from the imperial court. And a dozen squires who took the lead in making troubles and fought against him.

I don't know what the emperor said to Lin Ruhai before he left. This killing not only damaged his reputation, but also offended many officials in the top ranks. It is necessary to be so dedicated!
Jia Hu sighed softly and said to Lin Daiyu: "Don't worry. My uncle is now the governor of Liangjiang. No one dares to take this risk. Besides, there are Niu Er and the others."

Lin Daiyu nodded.

Jia Hu went on to say, "From tomorrow onwards, I'm going to live in the barracks, well, maybe half a month."

Lin Daiyu looked at Jia Hu and opened her mouth several times.

Jia Hu: "What's wrong?"

Lin Daiyu was silent for a moment, then asked: "Are there going to be wars again?"

Jia Hu was stunned for a while, and then said: "Let's plan ahead. Maybe I'm overthinking, but the preparations that should be made still need to be prepared in advance."

Paused, "I always feel that the imperial court's messenger is like a sheep entering the tiger's mouth."

Lin Daiyu was stunned: "Isn't it? The two countries are at war and they are not here to kill."

Jia Hu shook his head: "Compared with the Manchus, the Rakshasa people are more greedy, vicious, and particularly vindictive." At this point, he stood up and stomped to the window, "King Zasaktu Khan betrayed The covenant was wiped out by them, not to mention the Great Zhou who killed more than ten thousand of their cavalry."

Hearing what he said, Lin Daiyu believed it, and asked again: "The Yongwei Battalion only has [-] cavalry, can it do it?"

Jia Hu turned around and said with a smile: "You can recruit Mongols from outside the customs. As long as the military pay is sufficient, they are still very good. In addition, this time I will recruit young men from the Ikezhao League."

Lin Daiyu looked deeply at Jia Hu, then nodded.

"By the way, why are you here?"

"Are you hungry? You didn't eat much at night."

"Not hungry yet. Where are you?"

"I'm not hungry right now."

"Then let's eat together later."

"Ah."

"The moon is fine tonight, let's go for a walk in Huifang Garden."

Lin Daiyu walked over and took Jia Hu's arm.

Jia Hu squeezed her hand.

The two walked out of the study.

In a blink of an eye, it was April 26th, the birthday of Jia Baoyu, mother of Jia's sweetheart, and Xing Xiuyan's birthday. This year, there was another Baoqin, making it even more lively.

Wang Xifeng started to make a fuss a few days ago.

Early in the morning, Jia Baoyu came out of Jia's amnesty courtyard, and hurried to the backyard of Ning'an Hall to salute Jia Hu. Only after seeing Hu Po did he know that Jia Hu had entered the palace before dawn.

At this time, the upper study room was surprisingly quiet. Song Chengliang, Wang Hetang, Yang Gelao and Zhao Zixun all came, but they all stood there silently without saying a word.

Emperor Jianwu sat on the dragon chair without saying a word.

There was a screen in front of the imperial case, on which was hung a military map made of silk brocade. Jia Hu, Shi Guangzhu and Niu Jizong were standing in front of the map and meditating.

At this time, Emperor Jianwu stood up, walked to the map, looked at the map, and said for a long time: "What do you think?"

After hearing this, Shi Guangzhu and Niu Jizong turned their attention to Jia Hu.

Several members of the cabinet also set their sights on Jia Hu.

Jia Hu smiled lightly and said: "As long as the food, grass and ammunition are in place, the Yongwei Battalion can leave at any time."

Niu Jizong answered: "According to the date, the first batch of soldiers of the Beijing camp led by Marquis Zhong Jing should transfer to an official ship at Tianjin Wharf and enter Beijing."

Emperor Jianwu's eyes slowly moved to Song Chengliang, the chief assistant.

Song Chengliang thought about it for a while, and said carefully: "I think that since the Raksha people killed the court messenger, it can be seen that what Ning Guogong said is true, and they are here for revenge. Since the war is inevitable, it is better to take advantage of the Raksha people. Stand firm, preemptively strike, destroy the invading Rakshasa army, and give a warning to all alien races!"

Emperor Jianwu turned his attention to Wang Hetang again.

Wang Hetang cleared his throat and said solemnly: "The Raksha people killed the messenger of the imperial court. This is a provocation against the Great Zhou Dynasty. We must give a strong counterattack to let them know the fate of being an enemy of the Great Zhou Dynasty. But I I have something else to ask Duke Ning.”

Jia Hu: "Mr. Ge, please tell me."

Wang Hetang: "I already know the strategic value of Uliasutai. I want to ask Ning Guogong, what can Heilongjiang bring to the court? Fighting is not only for face, but also for profit!"

Jia Hu was taken aback for a moment, what is there in Heilongjiang?
Heilongjiang has coal, oil, rich mineral resources and large areas of forestry resources, but they don't understand these things. By the way, there is also food.

Thinking of this, Jia Hu replied: "Although the climate in Heilongjiang and other places is cold, the cultivated land area is very large and the terrain is flat. The black soil there is very fertile and is very suitable for farming. Precisely because of the cold climate, there are fewer insect pests and the grain output is not low. .”

Wang Hetang's eyes lit up: "As long as it can produce food."

Shi Guangzhu said with a smile: "There are many mountain treasures in the mountains and forests of Heilongjiang. Ginseng, mink and other things are all rare things worth hundreds of gold, and they will not lose money."

Wang Hetang was not annoyed by Shi Guangzhu's point, but nodded with a satisfied smile.

Emperor Jianwu still did not express his opinion, and his gaze turned to Zhao Zixun again.

Zhao Zixun: "The granaries inside and outside the city are all full, and grain can be transferred outside the pass at any time."

Niu Jizong immediately said: "The Ministry of War has stored a large amount of fodder in several new cities outside the pass, which can be transferred to the Yongwei Battalion."

Emperor Jianwu turned his attention to Jia Hu again: "What else do you want to say?"

Jia Hu: "I would like to borrow something from Your Majesty."

Emperor Jianwu: "What?"

"artillery."

Jia Hu looked at Emperor Jianwu: "I would like to borrow the six-pound field cannon newly built by the Ordnance Bureau from your Majesty."

Emperor Jianwu: "How much?"

Jia Hu smiled: "Of course, the more the better."

Emperor Jianwu thought for a moment and said, "The Ordnance Bureau cast a total of eighty six-pound field guns, thirty of which were shipped to Liaodong, and the remaining fifty are all given to you."

Hearing this, Jia Hu was overjoyed. He thought it would be good to give him twenty gates. The emperor was so generous.

Jia Hu took a step forward and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Emperor Jianwu waved his hand: "Let's talk about any other requests."

Jia Hu replied: "Yes." Pretending to think for a while, he said: "I want to recruit [-] young men who are skilled in bows and horses from the Mongolian tribes outside the Guan and the Ikezhao League."

Emperor Jianwu's face became solemn: "I'm afraid this is not very good."

Song Chengliang continued: "There are still too many Mongols outside the pass, especially the Yikezhao League, and there is not much loss at all. It is just a matter of using this battle to reduce the number of young people."

Emperor Jianwu took a breath of air: "This"

Wang Hetang replied loudly: "The minister seconded the proposal!"

Zhao Zixun, Yang Gelao, Shi Guangzhu, and Niu Jizong said in unison: "I second the proposal!"

Emperor Jianwu's eyes flashed brightly: "Okay! But the settlement fee and military salary must not be less."

Niu Jizong immediately replied: "Yes."

Only then did Emperor Jianwu nod his head: "Go down and get ready."

Everyone answered in unison: "Yes."

"As soon as the information on the Rakshasa people and Ulia Sutai is sorted out, Dai Quan will send it to you." Emperor Jianwu added.

(End of this chapter)