serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 467 The First Year of the Empire
So fast, it was the first day of the first lunar month in a blink of an eye.

It was already dawn, the lanterns hanging everywhere were still lit, the snow was falling heavily, and there was a vast expanse of white everywhere.

New Year's Eve was spent in the military camp, and Jia Hu didn't go to bed to rest until the beginning of the Chou period. Because Lin San said hello, there was a deathly silence everywhere, except that some boys were already clearing snow on various passages.

The front yard was okay, but the women and maids who got up early to work in the back yard of Ning'an Hall were all on tiptoe, gesturing to each other with their hands and not daring to make a sound.Even the boys shoveling and sweeping the snow no longer dared to use shovels and brooms. They squatted on the ground and used their hands to push away the snow on the stone steps outside the main door.

Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps inside the door, and then the door opened and Jia Hu walked out.

As soon as they saw Jia Hu coming out, the few boys who were squatting under the stone steps to sweep the snow immediately knelt down on the snow, and then all the boys and maids and women who were working far and near knelt down.

On the stone steps, on the snow, and on the corridor, it was dark and full of people kneeling.

The old man who entered the painting ran over with snowflakes all over his body and knelt down: "My servants wish the master a happy new year!" After saying that, he led everyone to bow three times.

Jia Hu glanced at the kneeling father and those kneeling on the ground, and said with a smile: "Everyone, get up."

"Yes."

Everyone stood up in confusion.

Jia Hu looked at his father, "Where's Lin San?"

Entering the painting’s father: “Go home, General Lin is preparing in the front hall.”

Jia Hu nodded. After a while, Shi Nai and others would come to pay New Year's greetings.

Ru Hua's father hesitated for a moment and said, "I'd like to report to the family master, the people from the Rong Mansion are waiting outside the courtyard to wish the family master a happy New Year."

Jia Hu smiled: "Then let them come in."

Ru Hua's father responded and hurriedly walked out.

After a while, Father Ru Hua led Father Yuanyang and the steward of Rong Mansion in.

Father Yuanyang led the stewards to kneel down at the foot of the stone steps: "The servants wish the patriarch a happy new year." He bowed respectfully three times.

"Get up."

Jia Hu smiled and waved his hand, and then said to Ru Hua's father: "Each person will be rewarded with two months' monthly payment." He raised his voice again and said, "Auspicious snow heralds a good harvest, so don't sweep away."

"Thank you, Patriarch! Thank you, Patriarch!" Many people cheered immediately.

Amid cheers, Jia Hu walked into the heavy snow.

As soon as they stepped into the front yard, the soldiers on guard knelt down on one knee and said, "New Year's greetings to the commander!"

Jia Hu smiled and nodded: "Don't be too polite, don't be too polite."

At this time, Lin San walked out of the front hall with a smile on his face: "Congratulations to the Marshal for the New Year!" before kneeling down.

Jia Hu held him firmly with both hands: "There is snow on the ground!"

Lin San stood up straight and looked at Jia Hu with a smile: "Lin San wishes my brother a happy New Year!" Then he knelt down.

After Lin San bowed three times, Jia Hu helped him up and then helped him dust the snow off his body.

Lin San smiled naively, and was about to say something when he suddenly vaguely saw a group of figures in cloaks walking towards the front hall in the moon gate opposite.

"They're coming. Welcome them."

Jia Hu took the lead, followed by Lin San, and greeted the approaching crowd.

Although there was heavy snow falling, the pedestrians on the opposite side saw clearly that it was Jia Hu who was coming towards them, and quickly quickened their pace.

"New Year's greetings to the commander! New Year's greetings to the prince!" From a distance, generals such as Shi Nai, Wang Yaozu, Jia Yun, and officials from Liangjiang knelt down.

"Don't be too polite, don't be too polite."

Jia Hu stepped forward to help Shi Nai, and then extended his hands to help everyone: "Everyone, get up."

Everyone stood up in confusion again.

At this time, Jia Yun, Jia Qiang and others knelt down again: "My nephew wishes my uncle a happy new year!"

Immediately afterwards, Wang Yaozu and other generals from Liaodong also knelt down and shouted in unison: "New Year's greetings to my brother!"

"Get up quickly, the ground is cold! Come on, let's go inside and talk."

With a smile on his face, Jia Hu led a group of people towards the front hall.

Two large pots of silver frost charcoal fire with green fire were burning in the front hall early, and an incense cauldron was added, filling the room with fragrance and warmth like spring.

Jia Hu sat down on the main seat, took a few sips of the hot tea brought by Lin San, put it down, and scanned everyone's faces one by one before speaking: "The surrounding area of ​​Jinling has been completely stabilized. Jiangxi Good news also came, everything is moving in a good direction. King Zhennan's new naval force is coming soon, and is expected to arrive in Jinling together with the Yangtze River Navy's troop transport ships.

I thought about it carefully last night. About three-quarters of North Korea's land is mountainous or hilly. These mountains are mainly distributed in the north and east.The terrain of North Korea is generally high in the east and low in the west. It is quite difficult to counterattack North Korea from Liaodong.My idea is to attack the Korean mainland directly from the sea, cut off the Korean Tatars' food routes from behind, and annihilate them all in the Liaodong area. "

Everyone was shocked.

Shi Nai also brightened up: "This is a good idea. The North Korean Tatars are almost out in force, and there are not many soldiers and horses in North Korea." Wang Yaozu: "Where to land from?"

As soon as these words came out, everyone looked at Jia Hu.

Jia Hu's eyes flashed: "I have already delineated several landing points, and I have to wait for detailed information from the capital before I can make a decision." After saying that, he turned his attention to Shi Nai again, "How is the reorganization of the troops and horses going?"

After hearing this, Shi Nai seemed to understand something. He stood up excitedly and replied loudly: "You can go out at any time to conquer North Korea for the commander-in-chief!"

Jia Hu: "Okay. When the Yangtze River Navy and the new navy warships gather, you and your [-] troops will immediately board the ship and go north to attack the Korean mainland by sea. My idea is very simple, destroy the country and destroy it. Its seed will be exterminated and its descendants will be eradicated! Completely solve this scourge!"

Shi Nai: "Yes!" He answered and sat down.

Jia Hu looked at the Governor of Liangjiang: "The princess and the cabinet have written to urge me to return to Beijing. When the troops to conquer North Korea are launched, I will lead the troops back to Beijing, and Liangjiang will be left to you."

The Governor of Liangjiang stood up: "Yes."

Jia Hu smiled: "It's time for me to go back and ascend the throne. After ascending the throne, I will go straight out of the border to fight the Korean Tatars!"

At this moment, the New Year greetings on the first day of the first lunar month in Beijing are another scene.

Every year on the early morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, all ministers would go to Fengtian Hall to pay homage. Since there was no emperor in the palace, the chief and deputy ministers of the cabinet and the six ministries and nine ministers came to the palace to pay New Year's greetings to the crown prince Jia Song.

Since this was the first official visit, the New Year greeting ceremony was even more grand.

From the middle gate to the six entrances and twelve entrances of Ning'an Hall, all the doors are open. Looking deeply, the doors are full of honor guards!
The door of Ning'an Hall was open, and flags and flags were arranged in two rows from outside the door in the heavy snow, along the corridor to the Neiyi Gate in the distance.

Jia Song was wearing the prince's robe and a beaded crown, and was sitting on the first couch.

Jia She was in front, followed by Lin Ruhai, Wang Hetang, and Li Shouzhong, followed by the chief and deputy ministers of the six departments and nine ministers. Everyone followed Jia She and bowed to the ground three times very solemnly, and then knelt there very solemnly.

Jia Song was still a little timid, but thanks to countless coaches from Jia She and Lin Ruhai, they stretched out their little hands to help her, and said in a crisp voice: "Get back on your feet."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Jia She led everyone to stand up.

Wang Hetang and Li Shouzhong looked at each other with complicated expressions. The previous two little emperors did not have this magnanimity.

Today, everyone came to pay New Year's greetings to the Crown Prince, so Lin Daiyu stayed in the back hall and did not come forward.

Jia Song is a child and has nothing to talk about with them. He is a representative, representing Jia Hu and the new imperial power.

At this time, Jia She took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and cleared his throat: "Your Majesty's handwriting, the imperial reign name is 'Xuanwu'!"

Everyone answered in unison: "Yes."

Jia She continued: "The prince's letter arrived at the fifth watch. The prince also said that let us prepare for the enthronement ceremony first. He will return to Beijing soon. After the enthronement ceremony, he will lead the troops out of the customs, and in one fell swoop Destroy the Korean Tatars!”

After a pause, "The finances seized by the prince from the rebels are already on their way to Beijing, with a total value of about seven or eight million."

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

Lin Ruhai continued: "Your Majesty asked us to tell the officials and people not to be afraid or to be anxious about anything and live a good New Year."

Everyone felt relieved and answered in unison: "Yes."

At this time, Jia She picked up Jia Song and said with a smile: "The princess has ordered someone to prepare breakfast. You can have breakfast here with the prince."

"Yes!" Wang Hetang and Li Shouzhong responded with excitement.

The group of people hugged Jia Song and walked towards the side hall.
In the vast snow curtain, all you can see are white-capped mountains.

Two gunshots were heard in the snow and fog!Soon, there was a roar of killing that shook the heaven and the earth!
Looking down from the city wall, we can see a dense crowd carrying ladders and pushing siege engines towards this side.

This is the third day of the siege of Liaoyang City. The Korean Tatars finally began to attack the city.
Almost all the main force of the Korean Tatars is here, with more than a dozen camps spread across the mountains and wilderness within a radius of more than ten miles.

Outside the camp of the Chinese army, a large flag with the word "Qing" on a thick wooden flagpole fluttered in the snowy wind!

Aixinjueluo Yongqi was still wearing the golden horseshoe sleeves and a large crimson woolen cloak. He did not look at the battlefield, but only looked in the direction of the capital city in the pass.

The sound of artillery and the roar of killing seemed far away from him. There was only one voice ringing in his ears: "Jia Hu has defeated Li Chengyang's tribe!"

At this moment, the former Jinzhou garrison, later the Heilongjiang general, and the current Zhengbai Banner Commander hurried over and said: "Young master, the Japanese have arrived!"

Yong Qi came back to her senses and asked, "How many people are here?"

Zhengbai Banner Leader: "Thirty thousand, but only five thousand cavalry have arrived here, and the remaining infantry is still east of the Yalu River."

Yong Qi frowned: "Didn't you say that you can piece together a hundred thousand soldiers and horses?"

Zhengbai Banner Leader: "There was an earthquake in Japan. Many villages have postponed sending troops. It is estimated that they will not arrive in North Korea until February or March."

At this point, he smiled bitterly: "The Japanese people not only lack clothing to keep out the cold, they don't even have cowhide tents."

"Humph", Yongqi said: "Let's go and take a look." After saying that, he walked out of the big tent and walked into the heavy snow in the sky.

Zhengbai Banner Leader quickly followed.
(End of this chapter)