Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

"Brother Cong, why didn't you let me go just now?"

After the meeting, everyone filed out. Sun Can winked and walked aside with Jia Cong and spoke softly.

Jia Cong whispered, "Second brother, you are a noble man, why do you have to go to a war thousands of miles away? What if something goes wrong?"

Sun Can shook his head and said, "It is a blessing for a man to die on the battlefield."

Jia Cong smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying: "Second brother, why don't you go and ask the Queen Mother and hear what she thinks." After saying that, he bowed and left.

Just as he walked through the inner right door, he was pulled aside by Fatty Feng who was squatting nearby.

"Brother, I'm seriously injured this time. Can you give me ten million for nothing?" Feng Yuan stomped his feet and said, as if he had lost his parents.

Seeing that no one was around, Jia Cong said, "Things on the battlefield change rapidly, who can predict them?"

Feng Yuan looked around with a sly look in his eyes and whispered, "In your opinion, who will win or lose?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Brother Zhengfang, please don't lie to me. I am not a god, so how can I predict the future?"

Feng Yuan rolled his eyes and said, "It seems that the four princes came prepared this time, so you better be careful."

Jia Cong shrugged and said, "If it rains, it will rain. If my mother wants to marry, let her do as she pleases."

"Okay, brother, you have great courage." Feng Yuan patted his shoulder and left with a smile.

When Niu Jizong and Wang Ziteng saw Feng Yuan leaving, they hurried over to hug Jia Cong.

"Young Master, it seems that the princes who are dispatching troops to the Western Regions have already planned this."

"It seems that a new force is about to emerge and take over the military power."

"How should we respond?"

Jia Cong nodded slightly, raised his hand to interrupt everyone, looked at Lin Ruhai and other important officials in the distance, bowed and greeted them from afar, and then led everyone away.

He whispered, "Brothers, don't worry. Now that all the good places have been divided up, even if Prince Nan'an pacifies the Western Regions and wins a great victory, he can only promote a few Jiedu and garrison troops to stay there. It may not be so easy to get involved in the center?"

Wang Ziteng nodded and said, "What Shao Bao said is very true. But at least they have opened a gap in the army. From now on, the reputation of the kings will be more solemn."

Everyone nodded slightly in agreement. They now took Jia Cong as the core, and watched him gradually suppress the two major military leaders Li Meng and Wang Ning. Naturally, they did not want to have another grandfather above them.

Jia Cong waved his hand and smiled, "It doesn't matter. As long as it is beneficial to the country, I am happy to see it happen."

He has the new army's trump card, so he will not take these feudal military leaders seriously.

Everyone bowed and said, "Young Master has a broad mind, we are not as good as him."

Jia Cong laughed and said to Wang Ziteng and Niu Jizong, "I'd like to trouble you two brothers to keep an eye on the recent deployment of troops, money and food. Where do you need troops, how many animals, carts and weapons do you need? The King of Nan'an can call on them. If they fight well in the front, we will also make contributions by guarding the rear."

"Yes."

Jia Cong went home and first consulted Pang Chao, telling him the truth about his meeting with the emperor today.

Pang Chaowei groaned for a moment and said, "Brother Cong, you can refuse this task, which shows that you have a clear mind. Good.

You have been promoted to Shao Bao now. If you go to the Western Regions and make great contributions again, how will the emperor reward you? Too much is as bad as too little. It is not a way to protect yourself. Let the Prince of Nan'an go."

Jia Cong said: "The four princes sang the same tune today. It is obvious that they have been planning for a long time and have coveted military power for a long time."

Pang Chao smiled and said, “This is good for you. If the four princes can take charge of the army, with their background and prestige, they will surely be able to stand out. The greater their power, the safer you will be.

Don’t think of having all the benefits to yourself when fighting for the court. It’s great to take all the benefits and eat the big bite, but it’s also a way to bring disaster upon yourself and is not what a wise person would do.”

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I think this is why they dare to break the rules and use surprise troops."

Pang Chao nodded and said, "That's right. You have been promoted to Shao Bao and the whole country is paying attention to you. It is reasonable for the four princes to guess the emperor's intention and take the initiative to check and balance you."

"Sir, what you said is right. What should Cong do?"

"Hide your light and bide your time, be content with your lot, restrain your edge, hide your ignorance and keep to your simple ways."

Jia Cong laughed: "Then I have to go and learn from Sister Bao."

The next day, the military information of the fall of the Western Region was announced at the court meeting.

Civil and military officials were all indignant. Some demanded severe punishment for the commanders guarding the front, some suggested raising an army immediately to retake the city, and some suggested using courtesy before force. There was an uproar in the Golden Palace, and no matter how the Censor called out, he fell on deaf ears.

Jia Cong secretly thought that these officials still had some integrity, as none of them advocated peace. This indirectly proved that the dynasty was in its heyday. It seemed that the repeated defeats of the Tartars in Liaodong in the past two years also gave the civil and military officials in the court a lot of confidence.

How dare the barbarians invade our Celestial Empire? No doubt, we must do it! Otherwise, how can we call it the Celestial Empire? The idea of ​​ceding territory in exchange for peace is not possible, at least not now.

Because the richness of the treasury determines the hardness of the fist, and the hardness of the fist determines the verbal attitude.

Seeing that everyone was of one mind, Emperor Xifeng simply announced the personnel appointments and ordered the army to be mobilized immediately to recover the Western Regions and rescue the people.

Nannan King Di Yan and the eldest prince Sun Qiu stepped forward to receive the order.

Two days later, when the army was about to set out, the Queen summoned Jia Cong to Changchun Palace.

"Your son pays homage to the Queen Mother. May your Majesty be blessed with good health." Seeing that there were many people in the palace, Jia Cong paid his respects and performed the formalities.

"Stand up." Empress Chen smiled as beautifully as a flower, more charming than ever.

The well-tailored red ermine skin gown embroidered with auspicious dragon and phoenix patterns perfectly showed off her voluptuous and well-proportioned figure, and her body color and shape seemed to be no less than that of a young girl.

Jia Cong smiled and stood up, saying, "I haven't seen you for a few days. You look younger and more beautiful. You look several years younger. In a few years, I won't be able to call you mother anymore."

Everyone in the palace laughed and agreed, secretly cursing Jia Cong for being shameless and only knowing how to flatter the Queen. No matter how young the Queen was, she was already in her forties, and even if she took good care of herself, the wrinkles around her eyebrows and eyes could not be concealed.

Empress Chen covered her mouth and laughed, "You monkey, you are so sweet-tongued and flattering. Save these words for Ruyi and the others. I don't believe you."

Jia Cong immediately cried out that he was wronged and offered a bunch of free compliments, which made Empress Chen very happy.

"Okay, let's get back to the point. I summoned you here today for no other reason than that the eldest prince is going to supervise the army's expedition to the west. Although he has read some military books and learned some martial arts from his master, he has never been on the battlefield.

You have been through many battles, so I specially ask you to give me some advice. Don't be afraid to only say bad things. Honest advice is unpleasant to the ear, he should know that." Queen Chen said with concern.

Sun Qiu, who was standing by, knelt down hurriedly, kowtowed and cried, "Thank you for your kindness, mother. I will remember your teachings and will not bring shame to you."

He turned his head to look at Jia Cong and said, "Please give me your frank advice, I will keep it in mind."

Before Jia Cong could speak, Sun Chi beside him could not help but interrupt and said, "Mother, if you are worried about my elder brother's safety, why not send me to accompany him? You know my skills. Taking the head of an enemy general in a million-strong army is as easy as taking something out of a bag. I am more than capable of protecting my elder brother."

"Tenth brother, stop talking nonsense! Father has already issued an order. Military and national affairs are no longer a joke." Sun Can glared at him.

Empress Chen raised her eyebrows and scolded, "You bastard, if I let you go, won't you make a scene? When the time comes, not to mention asking you to take care of others, I'm afraid your eldest brother will have to take care of you. Why don't you leave now!"

"Oh." Sun Chi was disappointed and stepped back awkwardly.

Sun Qiu smiled and said, "I appreciate Chi'er's kindness. When the Western Regions are pacified, it won't be too late for you and I to go to the desert together. It is even more important for you to be filial to your mother at home."

Jia Cong frowned at Sun Chi and said with a smile, "The eldest prince is both civil and military, and is well-versed in military books. I have heard of this. Moreover, Prince Nan'an is in charge of this trip, and he has many brave generals who are good at fighting. In addition, there are sufficient troops and food, so it should be foreseeable that the Western Regions will be pacified. If I have any humble opinion, it is only one thing."

Sun Qiu hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "Young Guard, please feel free to speak."

Jia Cong said: "A son of a rich family should not sit in the hall. On the battlefield, swords and arrows are blind. Your Highness is worth a million dollars, so you should act prudently and must not lead the troops to avoid mistakes.

These are some of the lessons Cong learned from his life-and-death battle with His Highness the Tenth Prince in Liaodong."

Empress Chen nodded and said, "My dear son, please remember to come back safely. By the way, remember to write to me from time to time so that I won't worry about you."

"Yes, I will follow mother's teachings. I will remember Jia Shaobao's good advice." Sun Qiu bowed hurriedly.

Sun Chi curled his lips and said disapprovingly: "The greatest pleasure in war is to fight on the battlefield and kill the enemy. If you only plan your strategy... hehe, after all, it's a bit... this, scratching the itch through the shoe."

Everyone laughed and said nothing.

Empress Chen said angrily, "What a lie! Someone, get this scoundrel out of here!"

Sun Chi scratched his head and followed the eunuch obediently. After a while, he came back in as if he had just arrived. He bowed and said, "Your son has come to pay his respects to the Queen Mother."

Empress Chen laughed angrily and spat, "What are you doing?" Sun Chi chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, I was only ordered to be kicked out, but you didn't say that I was not allowed to come in again."

Empress Chen was defeated by his nonsense. She felt angry and amused at the same time. After all, the child was her own. She held her forehead and said, "Don't talk. Stay aside."

"Your son obeys your order." Sun Chi jumped up, stepped aside, and raised his eyebrows at Jia Cong without shame.

Queen Chen gave Sun Qiu some more instructions, rewarded him with many warm clothes, life-saving medicines, and a set of precious armor before sending him away.

"Mother, please take good care of yourself. I am leaving now. After I am gone, I will have to trouble you two brothers to take my place and serve you as filial brothers." Sun Qiuqian thanked her profusely and said goodbye with tears.

Sun Can and Sun Chi hurriedly bowed and said, "Don't worry, big brother. We understand."

After Sun Qiu left, Empress Chen concealed her worried look and casually spoke a few words to Sun Can and his brothers, asking about their daily studies and urging them to study government affairs well so that they could share the worries of the emperor in the future. Then she sent them away, leaving only Jia Cong alone.

Seeing this, Jia Cong naturally understood that the Queen had something to say, so he stood with his hands clasped and listened.

Empress Chen dismissed the palace maids and said with a smile, "Now that you have been appointed as the Grand Protector and we are a family, why should we be so formal? Please take a seat."

"Thank you, mother, for the seat." Jia Cong sat down with confidence and said with a smile, "I wonder what instructions you have for me, mother?"

Empress Chen said, "This western expedition is a major event that has not happened in decades. In your opinion, what are the chances of success?"

Jia Cong did not dare to fool around, and after some consideration, he said, "I think the chances of winning are at least 60%."

“How come you see?”

“First, the enemy’s military strength is far inferior to ours;

Second, the rebel army was brutal and cruel, and all the tribes in the Western Regions were loyal to the imperial court;

Thirdly, our generals are all veterans of the Western Regions and are familiar with the people and the land;

Fourthly, there are three bandits in total, with different morale and orders, while our army's orders come from one source."

"Then what is the reason for the other 40%?"

Jia Cong thought for a moment and said, "The Western Regions are thousands of miles away, with a harsh climate and endless deserts. Our expeditionary soldiers may not be able to adapt to the climate and soil, and we will suffer some losses if we use exhaustion to defeat the enemy who is at ease.

In addition, supply is difficult. If the war drags on and food and fodder are cut off, the 200,000-man army may collapse without a fight."

Empress Chen nodded and said, "That's what I'm worried about. Wars are ever-changing. Even if you seem to be at a disadvantage, there are many examples of the weak defeating the strong and being defeated like a mountain. You should know this well."

Jia Cong said: "My mother is right, no one can predict what will happen on the battlefield.

The Battle of Julu, the Battle of Feishui, and the Battle of Chibi are all living examples. Even Cong's fight against the Tartars in Liaodong was an example of the weak defeating the strong and the few defeating the many."

Empress Chen smiled and said, "You are not ashamed to compare yourself with the ancient sages."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Isn't this the case that I can speak freely in front of my mother? I wouldn't dare to boast like this in public."

Empress Chen said, "Mother knows that you are brave, but what if there is another Jia Zilong among the bandits?"

"This..." Jia Cong was stunned.

Empress Chen sighed, "I heard from Can'er that you stopped him from asking for a fight, so I want to thank you.

He is young and ignorant, and only wants to sacrifice his life for the country, without thinking of his parents' painstaking efforts. If the war goes badly, how can he return to Beijing? Brother Cong, what do you think we should do if we lose this war?"

Jia Cong looked at Empress Chen's increasingly cold gaze, and a chill ran up from the back of his heart to the top of his head. It was obvious from the Empress's words that she did not want to win this battle.

As long as this battle is lost, even if Sun Qiu, as the military supervisor, only bears 20% to 30% of the responsibility, it will be enough to bring him down to the ground and ruin his reputation, and he will no longer be able to compete with Sun Can for the throne.

Jia Cong felt a chill in his heart. It was hard for him to connect the queen who used to be smiling, kind and gentle with the one who looked as indifferent as the Gobi Desert.

Empress Chen finally showed her fangs as a ruthless politician.

Although Jia Cong had always supported Sun Can, he had never thought of spreading the fight for the throne to national affairs and eliminating the eldest prince at the cost of sacrificing 200,000 people.

That's 200,000 people! And they also lost 2 million square kilometers of land!
The queen was indeed cruel and ruthless. In order to clear obstacles for Sun Can, she disregarded the lives of 200,000 people and the interests of the country and the nation.

Jia Cong sighed and said thoughtfully: "As long as our army does not show any major flaws in this battle, it will not be easy for the enemy army to win."

Empress Chen said calmly, "What if someone in the army is collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country?"

Jia Cong felt a chill in his heart, thinking that the Queen had already made a plan, and he said hurriedly, "Mother, you are worrying too much. How could a general of the Celestial Empire surrender to the enemy and betray the country?

"I think the most likely scenario is that the enemy army disguised themselves as barbarians and hid in our camp, waiting for an opportunity to assassinate the king! If the commander fails, our army will be in chaos."

The only thorn in Empress Chen's side was Sun Qiu. As long as she sent someone to get rid of him, she could at least ensure victory on the battlefield and save the lives of 200,000 soldiers.

Seeing that Empress Chen was still hesitant, Jia Cong hurriedly said, "Cong has heard that there are many talented people among the common people in the Western Regions, and they are especially good at assassination. If you are not prepared, it is very easy for them to take advantage of you."

As long as the queen nodded, he would immediately arrange for ninjas to disguise themselves as soldiers and infiltrate the army, and kill Sun Qiu in the chaos on the battlefield.

Empress Chen glared at him and said calmly, "With 200,000 troops at our side, how could we be easily taken advantage of? Isn't this obviously a collusion between the inside and the outside?

I love my eldest son very much. You must think of a way to bring him back safely even if we are defeated."

Jia Cong felt a chill in his heart. The Queen was determined to destroy Sun Qiu's political life without leaving any trace. She was even willing to disregard the interests of her family and country and sacrifice 200,000 innocent soldiers.

"Yes, I will definitely send someone to carefully protect the eldest prince."

Empress Chen said, "You are in charge of the Jinyiwei and are also the Left Commander-in-Chief. You should keep a close eye on them. The Western Expedition Army is on a long expedition. Make sure nothing goes wrong and the enemy takes advantage of it."

"Yes, your son will obey your order and do his job carefully." Jia Cong had a bitter taste in his mouth, but his face remained expressionless.

Empress Chen thought he had made up his mind, so she nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile, "It's getting late. Go ahead and ask Ruyi to come in tomorrow to talk to me."

"Yes, Cong will take his leave." Jia Cong left as he was told, his heart was in turmoil, and he could not calm down until he returned home.

He just couldn't understand how the queen could treat state affairs as a joke and human lives as worthless. Is this how a politician thinks?
I originally thought that I was a dragon slayer who eventually became a dragon, but now it seems that I am still too naive and childish, and there is a clear gap between me and the Queen, Prince Beijing and other natural political animals.

Thinking of this, Jia Cong smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"What's troubling you, Duke?" someone suddenly asked with a laugh.

Jia Cong looked up and saw that it was Pang Chao. He smiled bitterly and said, "I have something to ask you, sir."

"Yuan Ba, please stand guard outside the door. I am talking to Mr. Pang. No one is allowed to approach within ten feet."

"Yes."

In the study, Jia Cong whispered the Queen's intention.

"What do you think, sir?"

Pang Chao's expression remained unchanged, and he asked, "What choice does Cong have?"

Jia Cong said in a deep voice: "Cong will never be a sinner for all eternity. Even if no one knows, I will still be restless for the rest of my life."

Pang Chao clapped his hands and laughed, "You want to be a hero, but you can't be a tyrant."

Jia Cong smiled bitterly and said, “If the situation demands it, I would rather lead an army and fight these 200,000 people on the battlefield than attack them from behind and let them die in vain at the hands of the enemy.

After all, the conflict between us is a party dispute, so it's easy to deal with it. Now it's an enemy conflict, how can we do something that will make our loved ones sad and our enemies happy? "

Pang Chao said: "This is what a real man says. The queen is also a great person, but she has the courage to make such a plan. It is true that women have the most vicious hearts. How do you want to evade her?"

Jia Cong frowned and said, "It is better to strike first and kill Sun Qiu first to eliminate future troubles. Then the Queen will have no reason to do this again."

Pang Chao shook his head and said, "Although the Western Regions are at peace, I'm afraid the court will be in chaos. The eldest prince was assassinated outside. Who has the ability and motive to do it?"

"This……"

"Only you and the Queen. Even if His Majesty keeps silent, he will definitely think that you and the Queen have already formed a faction, and are only supporting the Second Prince to ascend to the throne by eliminating the First Prince. With the methods used by His Majesty today, you, the Queen, and the Second Prince are in danger."

"How will the emperor deal with us?" Jia Cong asked. (End of this chapter)