Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 403: The Supervisors Make Trouble
The core idea of ​​this operation is deterrence!
The Shenji Camp can be very relaxed in its preparations before setting out, without having to rush to send out troops like last time.

The Shenjiying, which also belongs to the ranks of the Beijing Camp, actually has a strong independence. With sufficient livestock, carriages, and ammunition reserves, Jia Lian built this army with the idea of ​​​​quick deployment in the beginning.

As it stands, there are still many shortcomings because the marching speed is limited by walking.

There is no way to solve this problem. The Central Plains dynasty invented mules, but did not develop draft horses like the Shire horse.

How to say it, it has been the same in all dynasties, both ancient and modern, both in China and abroad. Once stability is achieved, the entire country's top leadership will quickly fall into a state of contentment and enjoyment.

In order to go on this expedition, Jia Lian specially submitted a memorial for the "Autumn Exercises". This was to make it legitimate, after all, Xuanli's side was not a rebel army.

Emperor Chenghui quickly approved the cabinet meeting and Yue Qi was appointed as the Minister of War, removing his previous title of Minister of War.

This incident caused a stir in the court and the country of Great Zhou! Forty years later, another person who was born a military general took back the position of Minister of War from the hands of a civil official.

Jia Lian did not attend this cabinet meeting, but the news of the cabinet meeting was promptly transmitted to Jia Lian.

Emperor Chenghui's original words at the meeting: [Facts have proven countless times that the empire's military operations and army-building strategies cannot and should not be handled by laymen. It's time to correct this mistake! ]

This incident was considered by later historians to be a strategy of Emperor Chenghui to balance the civil and military powers and to balance the court.

The cabinet ministers of the Great Zhou did not have the courage to resist the decision of Emperor Chenghui, and were considered cowardly by the civil officials, who regarded them as traitors to the civil service group.

The civil officials launched a fierce attack, not against the emperor or the nobles, but against the cabinet.

More than half of the civil servants in the capital submitted memorials, all demanding the removal of the "incompetent cabinet." The charge was that simple and crude.

When the news reached local areas, civil servants in various provinces were furious and submitted petitions one after another, demanding the dismissal of the current cabinet.

These are all things that happened later and have nothing to do with Jia Lian.

Emperor Chenghui issued an edict that Jia Lian would again be appointed commander-in-chief of the Left Army and be in charge of this autumn military exercise.

Jia Lian treated this operation as a training exercise and asked the staff to work out a marching plan, including how far to march each day, where to arrange military stations, and so on.

With the experience from the last time, the General Staff quickly made a plan and started to implement it after getting Jia Lian's approval. They sent personnel to survey the locations along the way in advance, select the camping sites and military stations, and purchase and stockpile supplies. According to Jia Lian's requirements, from the day the troops set out, they were not allowed to camp in towns or villages. No one carried three days of dry food, and everything else had to be prepared in advance by the General Staff. It was absolutely impossible for the troops to camp in a certain place and then purchase military supplies on the spot.

The staff of the Shenji Battalion has expanded to more than 60 people, divided into two sections: combat and logistics. The chief of the staff is a lieutenant general.

Interestingly, no matter how Jia Lian messed with the Shenjiying, Emperor Chenghui always adopted a tacit attitude and agreed to all his requests.

Jia Lian judged that Emperor Chenghui intended to use the Shenjiying as a model unit and use it as a basis for reforming the Beijing Camp.

As for the crisis brought about by the Jia family regaining control of the military power, Emperor Chenghui could only put it aside temporarily in the face of repeated crises.

The most important thing is that Emperor Chenghui feels relieved by what Jia Lian does. Once this habit is formed, it is difficult to change it.

The excitement caused by Yue Qi's appointment as Minister of War overshadowed the commotion caused by Jia Lian.

During the preparation period, Jia Lian organized several activities with a group of technical officials and had a good relationship with them.

Even though these people do not hold high positions, they actually hold considerable power. They have one thing in common: they are indispensable workers in the unit.

Regarding Jia Lian's so-called Jia's practical learning, Emperor Chenghui said, "I'll just take a look. You are a guy from a noble family, but you don't go to the army, but come to study. Isn't this a "crooked way"?

You see, Emperor Chenghui is very relieved.

Three days later, Jia Lian led his troops to fight again. At daybreak, the city gates had just opened and the cavalry of the Shenji Camp set out as the vanguard.

Citizens who got up early discovered that the equipment of this team was very different. They carried muskets on their backs and sabers at their waists.

After them came the infantry, artillery and baggage, a team of more than 10,000 people. The process of leaving the city was very spectacular. This was the only heavily armed force stationed in the capital, and was regarded by people as the stabilizing force.

More and more people discovered this and stood up to watch the team. From some point on, the crowd burst into cheers for this invincible and powerful army.

The prestige of an army is gained through battle, and the support of the people for an army is accumulated over time.

Ordinary people in the capital have already reached a consensus that the Shenjiying never harms the common people and is the modern-day Yue Family Army.

As for other troops, no matter how good their military discipline is, there will be incidents of bullying of civilians, and this is not an isolated case.

Jia Lian led a hundred generals and rode in the middle of the team. His attire was very special, with wide trousers and a top that would not be surprising to modern people.

The only thing that remains contemporary is the riding boots!
Since they are not an army, they do not need to wear standard uniforms. To be honest, Jia Lian has been tolerant of the Zhou army's continuation of the Ming army's uniforms for a long time. This time, he seized the opportunity to do something to see the outside world's reaction.

As a modern army in the true sense, the uniforms must of course be simple and easy to move around in!

Qianqing Palace!
"Jia Lian has left the city?" Emperor Chenghui asked with a smug look on his face. Although the impeachment memorials from the court officials were like a tide, Emperor Chenghui was in a very good mood. It was just an impeachment, so just keep him in the palace.

The current cabinet is really useful, except for its eye-catching military performance.

So, no matter how the court officials made a fuss, Emperor Chenghui responded with silence and would talk about it after some time.

Of course, these civil officials have been spoiled by the emperor, and no one knows whether they will cause other trouble.

"Your Majesty, we have left the city. The people have seen it and praised it highly, saying that the Shenji Camp is very powerful and Lord Jia's new uniform is tall and handsome, and that he looks like a man of our dynasty." Qiu Shi'an spoke the truth without any exaggeration.

"New clothes?" Emperor Chenghui heard the clue and asked subconsciously. Why did he single out Jia Lian's new clothes for discussion?

"Yes, a kind of clothing consisting of two parts, a top and pants, and a hat. I think it was invented by Jia Lian. It was only worn by him and his family members and followers for the convenience of riding horses and marching in battles."

Emperor Chenghui's attention was drawn: "Let's make a new set later. By the way, are the civil servants making any new moves?"

"Yes, recently after work, the doorsteps of several cabinet ministers were blocked, and many people threw vegetables and eggs. It was such a waste!" Qiu Shian wanted to laugh as he spoke for some reason.

How should I put it? In the past, whenever there was any problem, the cabinet would always blame the emperor. Especially when Fang Baiyi was the chief minister, the emperor emeritus was scolded a lot.

Qiu Shian came from that era, so he found it very magical and it was normal for him to want to laugh.

"If it were during the reign of Emperor Taizu, these civil officials would have been thrown into prison! Humph!" Emperor Chenghui said with a heavy nasal sound, very dissatisfied with the civil officials' domineering behavior.

"I also heard that many civil officials have formed cliques and formed several small groups. I don't know what they are discussing. The Imperial College has been restless recently, and the students are also making trouble." Emperor Chenghui was secretly angry when he heard this, and said with displeasure: "Ding Lian, that old stubborn man, must have had his private activities in this matter."

Qiu Shian asked in a low voice: "Saint, do you want me to pass on a message?"

Emperor Chenghui said coldly: "No need, if he can manage the students well, he can continue to do it, if not, he can go home and retire!"

Qiu Shian advised again: "I am worried that the public opinion will be overwhelming and will damage the reputation of the saint!"

Emperor Chenghui sneered, "Didn't Emperor Taizong of Tang do well enough? Shouldn't future generations criticize him as they should? If there's nothing wrong with his political achievements, they'll talk about his personal morality. They'll always find something to say. I understand clearly that as long as there are traces of criticism and reputation after death, future generations will be able to see clearly what is right and what is wrong as long as the history is recorded."

Qiu Shian knew Emperor Chenghui best. Emperor Chenghui had changed a lot after this incident. His move of appointing Yue Qi as the Minister of War was a huge change compared to his previous style.

While the two were talking, the Imperial College was bustling with activity.

The students gathered together, and the leader shouted loudly: "Since the last emperor, civil officials have been in charge of the cabinet, the six ministries and the nine ministers, which is the national policy. Recently, Your Majesty has appointed Yue Qi as the Shangshu, and he will definitely be a cabinet minister in the future."

"Yes, this matter must not be tolerated! The harm caused by the nobles and military generals was caused by the feudal lords in the late Tang Dynasty, Liaodong in the late Ming Dynasty, and the de facto separatist regimes of the two kings of Dongping and Xining in this dynasty. If Your Majesty does not take this as a warning, the officials will make petitions and plead with you, but the order cannot be revoked. We are the seed of scholars, inheriting the lost knowledge of the sages and bringing peace to the world for all eternity. Let's go, knock on the palace!"

"No, you must not hold back. This will intensify the conflict and make it difficult to resolve. Your Majesty will have no way out and it may ruin the whole thing."

"It's no use submitting a petition, and it's no use declaring impeachment. What do you think we should do?"

Everyone was talking loudly, and when the students gathered together, it was easy for them to feel strangely good about themselves.

"I have a plan to solve this problem."

A young scholar emerged from the crowd with a loud voice. Everyone looked and saw that it was Shen Lie, a juren from Zhejiang.

"Brother Shen, please tell me what you think."

"We will go to see Yue Qi and persuade him to retreat."

"Great! This strategy has the spirit of ancient sages!"

Surprisingly, not many of the students could understand what was said, so naturally someone explained to everyone the story of Di Qing entering the Privy Council during the Northern Song Dynasty.

Well, the reason is very strong. I dare not touch His Majesty, and I dare not to bother you, Yue Qi?
"First courtesy, then force. Send someone to deliver a visiting card, then go to your house in the evening to ask for an audience, and explain the pros and cons. If Yue listens, then fine. If not... humph!"

The matter discussed by the students soon reached the officials of the Imperial College, and the lower-level officials came to Ding Lian one after another to ask him for advice.

"Lord Yue is the Minister of War, recommended by the Cabinet and approved by His Majesty. If a group of students go to make trouble, I'm afraid something big will happen." A teacher persuaded Ding Lian, hoping that he would take action.

Ding Lian looked at his colleagues expressionlessly, and said calmly: "What are the students going to do? How can we stop them?"

“You have to have an attitude, right?”

Ding Lian was silent, with his head down as if he was dozing off.

When everyone saw this, no one spoke anymore. After someone stood up and left, they followed suit.

After everyone left, Ding Lian opened his eyes, a gleam of light flashed in his cloudy eyes, and he said to himself: "Your Majesty, you indulged Jia first and appointed Yue Qi later, which is a mistake on top of a mistake! It is a great honor to know your mistakes and improve them!"

After Yue Qi got off duty, he learned that a student came to see him. Although he had a bad feeling, he still agreed.

That night, three students came to visit, and the leader was Shen Lie.

This man passed the imperial examination at the age of only 20. When he was young and successful, he failed in his boudoir and suffered a heavy blow. He refused to return to his hometown and stayed in the capital to enter the Imperial College.

Shen Lie's idea was very simple. In the capital, there were many opportunities to become famous. If you become famous, you will actually have an advantage in the imperial examination. He was able to pass the imperial examination at the age of 20 because he was well-known in the local area and was known as a young genius. Don't ask why he was so famous. The answer is that his family was rich, often held gatherings, and had a local newspaper. Local celebrities praised him, officials praised him, and newspapers praised him.

Shen Lie also made a fuss about the Jia family's practical learning. Fearing Jia Lian's bad reputation, he wrote articles under a pseudonym to criticize Jia family's practical learning, but he did not gain any advantage.

Shen Lie saw an opportunity in the Yue Qi incident and felt that he must seize it. If he could overthrow Yue Qi, the Minister of War, as a student, he would surely become famous throughout the world.

Just when Shen Lie was about to make a move, someone came to him privately and told him something, and the two hit it off. Shen Lie was still worried that the officials of the Imperial College would not allow it, but the person who came said that he didn't need to worry about the officials stopping him.

After the meeting, Shen Lie went straight to the point and advised Yue Qi to withdraw voluntarily and return to the Beijing Camp as the commander, which would be good for everyone. Otherwise, he would be making enemies of the world's scholars.

Yue Qi was stunned. What kind of words are these? I am the Minister of War, a second-rank official. You ask me to resign, so I will resign?

Who are you? Do you know how difficult it is to appoint a Minister of War? First, the cabinet must approve and recommend him, and His Majesty must approve him before he can officially take office.

Looking at the three visitors, Yue Qi suppressed his anger and said, "This matter is not up to me, Yue. Please go back."

Shen Lie and the others saw that Yue Qi was not like that, so they all stood up and said coldly: "Just wait and see!"

The three men left Yue's residence and returned to the Imperial College to continue discussions. They then made a decision to wait for Yue Qi to come off duty and then intercept them halfway.

Yue Qizhen didn't take it too seriously because it was just a joke. How ridiculous was it that a group of students dared to ask him to resign?

The next day, Yue Qi went to work and was busy paying attention to Jia Lian's movements and studying the details of his actions. He was really learning from Jia Lian.

After finishing his shift, Yue Qi was on his way home on horseback with two followers when suddenly dozens of people rushed out from the roadside and shouted, "Die, you thief Yue!"

A group of people surrounded him. Yue Qi saw that they were all dressed as Confucian scholars, so he did not fight back and was dragged off his horse. Yue Qi struggled to break free, but was hit by many punches and kicks. His official uniform was torn and he was forced to retreat into a shop.

At the critical moment, whistles sounded and a team of soldiers from the Five Cities Army who were patrolling the streets arrived. They rescued Yue Qi and captured more than 30 students from the Imperial Academy.

After being captured, this group of people were not afraid. Instead, the people from the Bingmasi were more sensible and released them.

Little did they know that the people from the Five Cities Army were not going to fall for their tricks at all. When they learned that Yue Qi had been attacked, they attacked him with extreme severity.

Those who resisted fiercely had several ribs broken by the gun handle.

There were wails everywhere for a while, and people cried for their parents. They were taken back to the Imperial College obediently.

Emperor Sekihiro was furious when he heard the news and convened a cabinet meeting overnight to discuss the matter.

(End of this chapter)