Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 521 It’s hard to disobey the emperor’s order in the capital

"Bang the drum."

"Boom, boom, boom,"

As the drums sounded in the Jiedushi's mansion, Jiedushi Lu Daiyuan, with his two sons, and the generals at the house, wearing armors, commanding the soldiers, lined up neatly, and also had many servants , an incense table was set up outside the main gate, and banners were widely spread. Others stood on both sides of the main gate of the Jiedushi Mansion, waiting for the arrival of the messenger.

The Yamen of the Jiedushi Prefect was also not far away. From a distance, many officials were seen rushing here in sedans. When Lu Daiyuan saw this, he smiled at the corner of his mouth. They were a group of people with good discernment.

After a while,

From a distant street, several war horses galloped towards them. Sure enough, the leading messenger had a yellow flag behind his back with the word "Imperial Order" written on it. It must be that there was a decree from the palace.

"Drive. Pay attention, we're here."

"Yes, Master Baihu."

The leader was clearly Baihu from the Imperial City Division. This time, all the people from the Imperial City Division were used to deliver the order. In order to ensure safety, all Baihu led the people and led the people on the road, without stopping for six hundred miles. Hurry, it will arrive in a few days.

Wait until the messenger comes,

"call"

Baihu reined in his horse, then looked at the crowd and asked questions while riding on his horse.

"In front of you is Lu Daiyuan, the military governor of Daliang City."

When I saw the leading messenger shouting, there were like a hundred households, and they looked like they were from the Imperial City Division, so I didn't dare to neglect them. These people were all-pervasive,

Lu Daiyuan tugged on his clothes and responded loudly,

"It's the veteran minister Lu Daiyuan, accompanied by his two sons, the generals, the magistrate of Daliang City and others, to greet the messenger."

"Okay, Daliang Jiedu envoy Lu Daiyuan will take over the order."

The messenger did not waste any nonsense. He jumped off his horse, took out the imperial edict and read it out without any nonsense.

"Your Majesty, Lu Daiyuan has received the order,"

After saying that, he knelt down on the ground, and all the civil and military officials in Daliang City knelt down and knelt down to worship. Then hundreds of households spread out the imperial edict, and the rest of the messengers guarded them, reading:

"By God's blessing, the emperor issued an edict: There is Lu Daiyuan, the military envoy of Daliang City, who has been loyally guarding Daliang City for more than ten years and has made great achievements. Now civil unrest in the south of Beijing has occurred, and there is fear of disaster. He has specially ordered the envoy Lu Daiyuan to lead the troops to defend the city. Thirty-five thousand elites are gathering in the capital, and we must not slack off. We will give you an auspicious cloud flag to show your intentions. There are also rewards for your beloved ministers to come to the capital to discuss. I appreciate this."

The messenger quickly read out the imperial edict and handed it over. Although Lu Daiyuan was shocked, he did not react slowly. He took the lead and kowtowed, shouting "Long Live the Mountain".

"Old minister, Lu Daiyuan has accepted the order. Long live your majesty."

Then he respectfully held all the imperial edicts in his hands, and handed them to his eldest son to put away. Then he skillfully took out a stack of banknotes from his arms, folded them together, and handed them over.

"Brothers, you are tired from the journey and have worked hard. Why don't you come to your house and take a rest."

As he spoke, he put the stack of banknotes in his hand into the hand of the courier Baihu. The latter took the banknotes and put them directly into his arms, his tone became much gentler.

"Jiedushi is too polite. The emperor's order cannot be delayed. Your Majesty still has a verbal message. Jiedushi will mobilize troops within three days after receiving the imperial edict. If there is any difficulty, Your Majesty will ask again, if there is difficulty, how many days can it be done? "

"Back to your majesty, I can't wait for three days. Your majesty's military order is my order. I will definitely raise troops within three days. There will be no difficulty. I have been guarding Daliang City for more than ten years. I must not slack off. I will treat the court and your majesty the same." Xin, please rest assured, we will definitely raise troops tomorrow!"

Seeing Master Lu's decisive answer, the messenger took a deep look at Lu Daiyuan. He was truly worthy of being Master Lu. It was widely rumored in the capital that this man was loyal and that he was the Emperor's confidant. When the White Lotus Sect was annihilated in the south of Beijing, He has made great contributions and is also the pioneer officer of Ning Rong and the two princes. He is mighty and brave. When I saw him today, he was really happy. It saved him a lot of danger. He nodded and replied,

"Okay, Mr. Lu, I will definitely report it to the imperial court. Also, sir, don't worry. This time, the imperial court ordered to assemble government troops from all counties and prefectures in Zhongzhou. A total of more than 100,000 people were gathered in the capital for training. Boss You must not delay the time. The emperor's orders are on my side, and I dare not stay for a long time. I will take my leave."

"Hey, brother, please slow down. Why are you in such a hurry? Why don't you wait a little longer. Someone is coming. Quickly, bring the dry food, wine and meat that you have prepared and bring them to all brothers."

How could Lu Daiyuan let the messenger leave like this? Before he asked what happened in the capital, he had no idea, so he grabbed the reins of the messenger's horse, but Baihu had no choice but to stop.

"Thank you, Jiedushi. Sir, do you have anything else to ask?"

Seeing that the person had not left, Lu Daiyuan felt better, and then asked,

"Brother, what on earth is going on? We need so many soldiers. There is also a Beijing camp. He, Wang Ziteng, will not shirk his responsibility."

Lu Daiyuan first thought of Wang Ziteng, the military commander of the Jingying camp. He was an uncivilized and military man who relied on his in-laws Jia's family. When he thought about this, he became angry. How could that thing take the position of military commander? , and today I heard that I was asked to lead the army to the capital. It is obvious that the court does not intend to requisition soldiers from the Beijing camp, and it must be Wang Ziteng's business. If I lead the troops to the capital to suppress the rebellion, I don't know if Wang Ziteng will go. If he doesn't go, who will be the general in charge of the army?

Although he is a guest army, he is still a military envoy, and he leads all the army. There is no way that the leader can compete on his own. It is much better than obeying orders under others.

But Baihu, the leader of the messenger, was not very talkative. After all, Wang Jieshuai was the head coach of the Beijing camp. The lower official could not criticize the superior official, so he had to be vague and replied,

"My lord, please be patient. There is something fishy about this matter. Let's discuss it later when your lord arrives in the capital. It's getting late, sir. It's time for me to leave."

Several people got on their horses, but Lu Daiyuan was helpless, so he asked the servants to bring over all the things they had prepared, including sake, water bags, bacon, and dry food. They were all given to them. They didn't refuse and took the things. , after finishing speaking, he rode away without waiting for anyone to react, leaving Jiedushi to ask more questions but he didn’t.

After the people walked away, Lu Daiyuan was still confused and confused. Behind him, his eldest son Lu Congyun held the imperial edict and asked doubtfully,

"Father, what happened? The imperial court summoned 35,000 of our elite troops, and all of a sudden our Daliang City defenders were evacuated. Is there anything hidden?"

"Yes, Lord Jiedushi, according to the imperial edict, since there is trouble in the south of Jingnan, we have to go to the south of the capital to quell the chaos. Reinforcement is like putting out fires. Why do you want to go to the capital to assemble and stand by for help? , It doesn’t make sense.”

The speaker was Feng Shoujie, the most powerful general in Daliang City. This man was Lu Daiyuan's confidant and the deputy general of the Daliang City garrison. He had followed Lu Daiyuan and saved his life several times. He followed Lu Daiyuan through fire and rain on the battlefield. , was regarded as a nephew by the Lord Jieduzhi, and he loved him very much.

Hearing what he said, Lord Jiedushi was also puzzled. It was too strange. Although what he said was correct, where the fire was on, it was extinguished. How could there be a fire on that side and run around to put out the fire instead of taking off his pants? Fart, is it unnecessary? When we got to the place, the fire started and the day lily was cold.

"What you said makes sense. Suppressing the rioters is like putting out a fire. It must not be delayed. It is urgent to put it out. But now we have to take a detour. I really don't know what the court means." Jiedushi said to himself there. , even the two sons and the officials in the government did not understand. The imperial edict was clear, but the actions were not clear.

While everyone was thinking, suddenly the second son Lu Shiwen thought of something. Could it be that the fire there was not strong and needed to be burned for a while? Or maybe General Jingnan wanted to take all the credit, so he asked the reinforcements to wait. After all, Jingnan When civil unrest breaks out, officials from all ministries are guilty of crimes. It is undoubtedly difficult to get away with it. Thinking of this, I feel that I am almost guessing, so I said,

"Father, gentlemen, my son feels that the imperial court is not at fault. There may be something else going on inside, or it may be that the governor of southern Beijing has some ideas."

"Oh, it's interesting. Tell me what it says inside."

Lu Daiyuan looked at his second son who seemed to have an idea, and asked with interest, "Sometimes, the second son still has some brains, but he doesn't like martial arts. He always hangs out with civil servants, dancing and writing every day, which is unseemly. The old Jiedushi The most despised are those who do not practice martial arts.

With a smile on his face, Lu Shiwen bowed to the officials around him and said in a literary style,

"Father, my lords, I think it's not that the imperial court didn't let us go on our own, but that we must have other plans. As for saying that suppressing civil unrest is like putting out fires, that's right and wrong. The so-called right is indeed as my father said. It cannot be expanded, otherwise the disaster of the White Lotus Sect in the early years is just around the corner, and the Central Plains will definitely be in chaos.

But what my son said is wrong is also based on this. Fighting a fire also depends on the size of the fire. If the fire is too small, the court will waste so much effort and gather troops to suppress it, not to make the world laugh, but also the general of Jingnan Gu Ping , that is also a strong general. I remember hearing what my father said earlier that he is also a brave and strategic general. The army under his command is not a vegetarian, so the court wants to wait and see and take a detour. Of course , and also based on the considerations of officials at all levels in southern Beijing, and the words of a family of scholars, I would like to invite you all to learn from them. "

After hearing this, everyone nodded frequently, and the civil servants even looked at the second young master with similar eyes. In this way, there were many things on their minds.

"Well, the Second Young Master's analysis is not unreasonable. From this point of view, the matter in between is probably not trivial."

"Yes, it stands to reason that even if there is a civil unrest, it won't be too big. Not to mention the government troops in various places, even the army under General Jingnan is not a vegetarian. We should have gone there and killed them all."

"Could it be that the imperial court had an idea in the capital and became suspicious of the south of the capital?"

The officials around were chatting and talking about everything, but the more they talked and the more detailed they were, the more people understood. The words of many officials made Lu Daiyuan, the governor of Jiedu, and his eldest brother Lu Congyun feel. He had a clear view, but he also looked at the second child suspiciously. Is this possible?

at this time,

Li Bogui, the magistrate of Daliang City, suddenly pushed aside the crowd, stepped forward, and bowed with his hands in hand.

"Li Bogui, the magistrate of Daliang City, has met Lord Jiedushi and the two young masters."

Lu Daiyuan returned the favor with his hands raised, and then he supported the magistrate and asked,

"It turns out to be Mr. Li. We are old friends. You are welcome. Mr. Li, do you have something to say?"

"Haha, Lord Jiedu is still quick to speak. Yes, I have something to say. I just heard what the second young master said. Although it is a bit nonsense, it makes sense when you think about it carefully. The important land in the south of Beijing is the county, that is, Linshan County is just south of our Daliang City.

It's not far, it's not close. If we hurry, it's only a few days' journey. So if there is any trouble, we should know it in advance. But this time, judging from the imperial newspaper, there is basically no It mentioned things in the south, so it shouldn't be a big problem. Maybe the court has an idea. "

Many officials listened to Li Bogui's words and agreed with them, nodding to each other. The interests of these officials are now integrated with the Jiedushi government, so even if they don't say some things, all their actions are based on temperance. Although he was an official of the imperial court, he was actually half a retainer of the Jiedushi Mansion, and he meant to protect the Lu family.

Of course, the imperial court also knew that, so the officials in the city who were guarding the Jiedushi basically had no hope of promotion. Over time, they could only do this as usual. But for those officials who have no background and no backing, this place may not be a bad place. There are still many poor families in Jinwozi, and they are all looking for ways to get in. They think that with a backer, they will live a more comfortable life in the future, and they even directly plan to become the loyal dog of the Jiedushi Palace.

People have their own ambitions, and the officials in the imperial court look down on the officials in the Jiedushi's city. Those officials who join the Jiedushi's sect and live a prosperous life also look down on the officials in the court, so there are more factions at the bottom. Unclear, constantly cutting, and mismatched.

Especially for the new Enko scholars, as long as they defect, the Jiedushi Mansion in Guan Nei will give them double the settling-in allowance, and they will certainly live a good life. Whether they are setting an example or really doing something, the Jiedushi Mansion will treat their defections very well. The officials also tried their best to win over each other, one wanted to join him, the other wanted to recruit, and everyone was happy.

"Yes, Lord Jiedushi, and the lower officials also think that the imperial court has other things. As for the small civil unrest in the south of Beijing, we still need to gather the government troops from all over Zhongzhou, not to mention our 40,000 elite troops in Daliang City. Soldiers, that is, Hedong and Hexi counties are both important towns in Zhongzhou. Chu Guozhong and Zeng Weilun must have thought the same as Xiaguan. As for the Sizhou and Hongnong Prefectures, they can only be regarded as additions and will not contribute much. effect,

The messenger just said that there are at least more than 100,000 soldiers and horses. With so many soldiers here, who is the commander is the most important, so the boss should pay attention. It may be better to find a way to get to know them when they get to the capital. "

"You're right,"

"yes,"

The officials below discussed in a low voice again, and they all agreed with what Daliang Cheng Tongzhi Mi Cheng said. As the saying goes, things are much easier to handle when there are people to discuss them with. The county guards Zeng Weilun and Chu Guozhong also almost became president. They were appointed as Jiedushi, but later they were affected by the incident in the Northern Palace and were unable to take the position of Jiedushi. Therefore, no one knew what the two of them were thinking, but it did not prevent the boss from going there to find out more.

After all, there is a one-sided relationship. Although we are not eating from the same pot, there is always some pretentiousness in it, and it is easy to say something.

Seeing everyone talking there, Lu Daiyuan also had some confidence in his heart. Sure enough, they were still the civil servants who were playing tricks on them. He did not deny the kindness he had shown them over the years, and his thoughts were not in vain. This was regarded as the good deeds he had left over the years. .

Some sighed,

"What Mi Tongzhi said, I also agree with. Although I don't have much friendship between the two of them, they are ministers in the same palace and it is necessary to help each other. I just don't know if the two of them will go this time. After all, the government army Go ahead, they are just county guards, this"

Lu Daiyuan was also a little worried about what he said. Although the two of them are county guards, there are other generals in the government army. Even if the relationship is close, the emperor's order is difficult. He may not necessarily lead troops to the capital in the future. Once he reaches this position, there is no possibility of promotion. As for the moral integrity, As long as the Prince's Palace of Beijing is there, I'm afraid the imperial court will not promote the two of them as ambassadors. As for changing the court again, it is shameful for the two of them.

"Reporting to Lord Jiedushi, I disagree with what the magistrate and Tongzhi said. I believe that the land south of Beijing is in danger, so the imperial court is anxious to assemble the army. Just now the messenger also said to assemble the troops of all the ministries in Zhongzhou. The official calculated that our Daliang City needs 35,000 soldiers and horses, and the important towns in Hedong and Hexi need at least 25,000 soldiers and horses each. As for Sizhou and Hongnong Prefecture, it is not enough to send 10,000 soldiers and horses each. There is no pressure, so there will be more than 100,000 troops. As for whether the army in the capital camp will move, Xianguan does not dare to guess whether such a large army can go to the capital for fun. Therefore, Xianguan believes that the imperial court is not sure about going south. .”

Miao Ren, the general magistrate of Daliang City, spoke out against it, and even stated his opinion bluntly. It was obviously contrary to everyone's speculation and was quite alarmist. Everyone was a little shocked, and the words were even more unpleasant to listen to.

Many people didn't believe it after hearing this. Magistrate Li Bogui smiled, walked over and looked at the serious look of the magistrate, and asked with a smile,

"Haha, Mr. Miao, I'm afraid you're a little dizzy because you didn't use your breakfast. According to what you said, there is a civil unrest in the south of Jingnan. If the court can't suppress it, then it's better to get angry and attack the troops in the capital. So I sent them out. This is military merit. Not to mention the honorable men in the capital camp. Even if I want to rise to a higher level, I'm afraid I can't do it without military merit. How can I waste so much effort and ask me to lead the army to the capital to assemble? Go to Jingnan again, as the Second Young Master said, the fire is too small, it would be better to burn it bigger, then military merit will come."

"Yes, Mr. Miao, you have to know that those nobles have no other abilities. They are very good at doing this kind of thing. If Luo Yunhou hadn't appeared outside the pass, they would have been left to the Jurchens long ago. They just wanted to get more military glory. If you deliberately go in the opposite direction, the more people will benefit."

Tongzhi also continued with a smile, but Lord Tongpan Miao's face turned cold and he said solemnly.

"Huh, Lord Magistrate, Lord Tongzhi, according to what you said, you think it's child's play to send out an army of more than 100,000 people. Now there is no harvest, there is not enough food and grass, and the capital and the warehouse in the capital are on fire. This is the best way to save food and grass. Why waste time like this? Even the officials from the Ministry of Revenue will certainly not agree.

Lord Jiedushi and his subordinates guessed that the imperial court should not be able to easily move the Beijing army, so they had this idea to assemble the Zhongzhou army to go south to suppress the civil unrest. I think this was the suggestion of Mr. Zhao Ge, the Minister of War, and of course it was If there is an opportunity, the Beijing camp will definitely intervene, and military glory will be at your fingertips! I'm afraid the coach is Wang Ziteng, the commander of the Beijing Camp! "

"This"

(End of this chapter)