Corrupt official in the Red Chamber

Chapter 117
From the capital to Xi'an, there is about 2000 miles of road. Jia Rui and others rode horses day and night, and finally arrived at the destination after 20 days.

When we arrived outside the city of Xi'an, we found that it was already surrounded by a vast army of soldiers, and the company was encamped twenty miles away.

Zhang Ji, Marquis of Ruyang, personally led his generals and various civil officials from Shaanxi out of the city to welcome Jia Rui.

Although Marquis Ruyang is the general of the army and horses, Jia Rui is an imperial envoy, representing the emperor and the Supreme Emperor, so Marquis Ruyang did not dare to neglect.

This was the first time that Jia Rui saw the famous Ruyang Marquis. He only saw that this Ruyang Marquis had a delicate face, a good appearance, and a good manners with others, giving people a feeling of being bathed in the spring breeze.

Jia Rui couldn't help but admire this magnanimity.

When the two met, Marquis Ru Yang clasped his hands to Jia Rui first, "Lord Jia has worked hard all the way, and I have already prepared a banquet in the city to cleanse Lord Jia."

"Where and where, they are all working for the Supreme Emperor, so why not talk about hard work."

Then the two complimented each other a few more words, and then walked in hand in hand.

If someone didn't know, seeing how close these two were, they would think they were friends for many years.

But who knew that the two of them were political enemies?
Entering Xi'an City, after sitting down at the governor's office, a banquet was prepared. Accompanied by civil and military officials, Jia Rui and Ruyang Hou Zhang Ji sat in the middle.

There is nothing to say about this drink, it's all about the scene.

That night, Jia Rui rested in the guest room of the governor's yamen, and early the next morning, Zhang Ji ordered Jia Rui to go to Huating to discuss matters.

Jia Rui also knew that Zhang Ji was going to talk about entering the army, so he didn't dare to neglect, put on his clothes, took Shang Fang's sword, and left in a hurry.

After entering the flower hall, Zhang Ji stood up and invited Jia Rui to take his seat.

But Jia Rui still has self-knowledge, so he insisted on resigning.

Zhang Ji said a few polite words before sitting on the main seat, and then asked Jia Rui to accompany him.

After sitting firmly, family members will naturally offer fragrant tea.

"Master Jia, the matter in Gansu is very urgent and we need to advance troops quickly. Therefore, I am planning to mobilize the troops tomorrow and divide them into four groups to march directly into Gansu. I don't know what Master Jia wants."

Jia Rui frowned and then said: "I'm afraid this is inappropriate."

"Oh, I wonder what Mr. Jia has in mind?"

Jia Rui pondered for a while, and then said: "Dividing the troops into four groups seems to be able to encircle the enemy on the surface, but it also disperses our strength. If the enemy forces are defeated one by one, what can we do?"

After hearing Jia Rui's words, Ruyang Hou Zhang Ji also looked at Jia Rui with admiration.

He had already heard of Jia Rui's name outside of Beijing, knew that he was the Emperor's favored minister, and always thought that he was an uneducated and incompetent person who rose to power by flattery.

I didn't expect this young man to be able to say such well-organized words.

Zhang Ji smiled, and then said: "I will divide my troops into four groups, all the way from Mongolia to the back of Gansu, and cut off the enemy's retreat. The second group will enter Gansu from Sichuan, lure the enemy to come, and hold them back. The third group will Route, from Shaanxi to Gansu, reinforcements to Lanzhou, so that Lanzhou will not be lost. On the fourth route, I personally led directly into the enemy's lair and wiped them out. By that time, the rebels on the front line were panic-stricken. Without a fight, I, the commander, The three armies of Dudu will be encircled and suppressed together, and the enemy will be destroyed."

After listening to the other party's explanation, Jia Rui also felt that it was reasonable, but it was all based on the fact that the army of the dynasty was elite and the enemy could not engage in direct combat with it.

But Jia Rui didn't have much confidence in the imperial army.

Even though Jia Rui has only been in charge of the household department for a month, but this month, Jia Rui has a deep understanding of the imperial court's payment of soldiers' salaries over the years.

Those generals are full of empty pay and blood, and the soldiers under him can still fight to the death?
"Marshal, the enemy troops are all believers who are not afraid of death. If we fight against them with elite troops, we may not be able to get an advantage. If the second army cannot hold back the enemy troops, what can we do?"

That means asking Zhang Ji, what should he do if the army he sent from Sichuan to Gansu was defeated?
Zhang Ji thought for a moment and then said: "Even if the third army is defeated, it has nothing to do with the general trend."

Then he explained: "Even if the enemy army defeats the third army, as well as the general and the second army, and suppresses it, it will not be able to turn around and threaten Lanzhou. Facing the natural dangers of Sichuan, the enemy has to retreat to its old nest. At that time, I happened to be leading the three armies to encircle and suppress them together."

After hearing this, Jia Rui also sighed, this record is indeed better than using troops.

But I can't pin my hopes of victory on others.

"Marshal, I am ordered by the two Supreme Beings to supervise the entire army and not to cause any losses to the imperial court. Therefore, I also ask the Marshal to give up the plan to divide the troops into four routes, and join forces and go straight to Gansu."

Zhang Ji frowned and his face darkened.

"This commander is ordered by the Supreme Emperor, the emperor, to lead the whole army. You are just an imperial envoy. You just obey my commander's order, so there is no need to say anything."

Jia Rui was also a little unhappy when he heard this. After all, Jia Rui was still young and energetic, so he immediately retorted:
"My lord is holding the Supreme Emperor Shang Fang's sword. If I were to come in person, wouldn't it be possible for Lord Zhang to resist the decree?"

Saying this, Jia Rui dragged the Shang Fang sword in front of him.

Zhang Ji gave Jia Rui a hard look, then stepped down from the main seat, knelt down and kowtowed to the ground.

"Minister Zhang Jigong invites Shengan."

"Saint Angong."

Only then did Zhang Ji dare to stand up, but Zhang Ji also had a bad temper. Otherwise, he would not have been able to lead two thousand miscellaneous soldiers to fight against tens of thousands of rebels.

"I caught a cold wind yesterday and am no longer able to command the army, so I asked Mr. Jia to temporarily lead the army. I will listen to Mr. Jia's success report in Xi'an." Zhang Ji simply gave up the task.

In fact, Zhang Ji had been holding this fire in his heart for a long time.

During this Gansu rebellion, the imperial court ordered Zhang Ji to be the general marshal, but also sent Jia Rui as the imperial envoy. What does this mean?Do you think you don’t believe me, Zhang Ji?

Originally, Zhang Ji still endured it, thinking that if Jia Rui was sensible, he would not say anything, and when the army was successful, he would share some of the credit with Jia Rui, and let him forget about the gold plating.

But I didn't expect that Jia Rui would dare to challenge him. Then you might as well lead the army. I want to see what Jia Rui is capable of.

Jia Rui immediately asked Zhang Ji to come here.

When it comes to leading troops in combat, Jia Rui has no experience in either his previous life or this matter, and he has not even read a few military books.

At this time, Jia Rui was really guilty of leading an army of more than [-] to fight against the enemy.

However, looking at Zhang Ji's annoyingly handsome face, Jia Rui became angry all of a sudden.

Without you, Butcher Zhang, would I still have to eat pigs with hair on them?
"Okay, the imperial envoy will temporarily lead the army."

After Jia Rui said this, he stretched out his hand.

As soon as Zhang Ji saw Jia Rui's actions asking for something, he knew that this guy wanted a military talisman and a seal.

Zhang Ji didn't refuse, just picked up the Generalissimo's seal from the table and pushed it forward.

Jia Rui went forward to pick up the seal, then glanced at Zhang Ji, turned around and went out.

After Jia Rui left, a middle-aged scholar came in from the outside.

He bowed his hand to Zhang Jixian, and then said: "Master Marquis, you hand over the seal so easily. How can you explain to the court if the army fails?"

"Hehe, I have already made arrangements, and this is also what the emperor meant."

After the middle-aged scholar heard this, a faint dissatisfaction flashed in his eyes, but he quickly covered it up.

"However, the [-] army is related to countless families. If the army is defeated, or even the enemy's army advances, it may spread to Shaanxi, and countless people will suffer."

"Hey, why doesn't this commander-in-chief know? But the king's life is hard to break!"

Then the entire flower hall fell into silence.

Besides, Jia Rui, after getting the seal of the soldier talisman from Zhang Ji, immediately went back to the room, wrote a secret book, and ordered the spies following him to send it to the capital immediately.

Because Jia Rui had already felt something was wrong from today's conversation with Zhang Ji.

Zhang Ji is no longer a child, how could he be so impulsive, and directly hand over the military power, and hand it over to himself, a person who has no experience in leading the army. Isn't this taking the important affairs of the court as a trifle?
However, Jia Rui has no time to wait for His Majesty's reply now, because Gansu is in dire straits. If they don't send troops again, Lanzhou will be taken away by others.

Therefore, Jia Rui has already made up his mind, and he will join his troops and go straight to Gansu tomorrow.

The enemy army is capable of fighting well, but they cannot defeat themselves in a short period of time when faced with an army of [-].

And with the restraint of his own army, Lanzhou should be able to turn the corner.

As long as he waits for the reply from the Supreme Emperor to arrive, he will have no responsibility.

Early the next morning, Jia Rui took Shang Fang's sword and the general's talisman and took his family straight into the military camp.

When I came to the treasure tent of the Chinese army, I found that the generals were already waiting in the treasure tent.

Jia Rui entered the treasure tent, then without squinting, he walked directly to the handsome seat in the middle and sat down firmly.

The generals were a little stunned when they saw Jia Rui sitting in the handsome position in the middle.

You must know that this commander's seat is for the commander-in-chief of the three armies. Jia Rui is the imperial envoy, so he can only set up another one next to it.

Jia Rui saw the confusion of the generals below. He raised his military talisman and said, "Generalissimo Zhang Ji is seriously ill and unable to take charge, but the front line is in crisis, so Zhang Ji entrusted me to temporarily supervise the army."

When the generals below heard this, they made a great noise.

Zhang Ji was fine yesterday, why is Zhang Ji seriously ill today?

Then the generals seemed to understand something, and looked at Jia Rui with inexplicable eyes.

Jia Rui felt uncomfortable being watched by these generals, but he knew he couldn't show weakness now.

"I have been commissioned by the Supreme Emperor to envoy the camp. Now that the marshal is unable to take charge, I will do my duty. There is no need for you to say anything."

The generals saw Jia Rui's strong momentum, coupled with his status as an imperial envoy and carrying Shang Fang's sword on his back, so none of them dared to say anything more.

Jia Rui breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that these proud soldiers were temporarily subdued.

(End of this chapter)