The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

As the old saying goes, the dog days are not hot, and the coldest days are not cold; the dog days are extremely hot, and the coldest days are thick with ice and snow.

The dog days of summer in Yongchang in the sixth year were not as scorching as in the past, so this winter will not be too cold and will be a warm winter, which indicates that crop yields will be reduced due to pests and diseases and there will be a late spring cold snap next year.

It is already the end of October in the lunar calendar, and the capital city is still enjoying the nice, crisp autumn weather.

The sky was clear and the temperature was just right. Some of the osmanthus trees in the Imperial Garden were in bloom again, and the air was filled with a sweet, refreshing fragrance.

Emperor Yongchang was in an unusually good mood, walking on the path in the Imperial Garden with his hands behind his back.

Dai Quan bent his body slightly and followed him carefully.

Emperor Yongchang was walking when he suddenly stopped and asked, "How long has it been since Wang Ziteng came to report on the battle?"

Dai Quan replied: "Your Majesty, today is the thirteenth day."

Emperor Yongchang frowned: "It's been almost half a month!"

Dai Quan: “Yes.”

Emperor Yongchang paced back and forth, saying as he walked: "I don't think Fukang'an will survive this winter."

Dai Quan understood what the emperor meant. The continuous losses made Qian Xiaosi angry and humiliated. He drew tens of thousands of elite soldiers of the Eight Banners from the vicinity of Shengjing, as well as hundreds of thousands of Han Army Banners, Mongolian Eight Banners and Korean servant soldiers, and appointed the veteran general Agui as the commander to lead the troops to quell the rebellion.

Emperor Yongchang: "Shui Rong is no longer a concern. We just need to seal off the mountain pass and trap him to death."

Dai Quan was secretly shocked. Is this a plan to declare war on the Jurchens?
Emperor Yongchang: "This year is a warm winter, and the canal's freezing period will be delayed, so the rice purchased from Southeast Asia can be smoothly transported to Beijing. With this rice, the court can go to war against the Jurchens! But we still have to wait for Wang Ziteng's battle report. I hope Wang Ziteng can fight back and wipe out the main force of the White Lotus Sect in Henan as soon as possible to end this rebellion!"

Just then, the eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate came running over, panting.

Dai Quan went over to meet him.

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate handed over an urgent letter: "It's from Anhui."

Emperor Yongchang also came over and said with a smile: "Li Hu must have won another victory." He took the urgent letter, tore open the seal and read it. After reading a few lines, he laughed and said: "This is called fighting! Li Hu has already wiped out the remnants of the White Lotus Sect in Luzhou Prefecture, and is mobilizing troops to prepare to wipe out the remnants of the White Lotus Sect in the mountains."

Dai Quan was surprised: "So fast?!"

Emperor Yongchang smiled: "The people of Luzhou Prefecture are on the side of the court. With the intelligence provided by the common people, the remnants of the White Lotus Sect are like rats crossing the street, with nowhere to hide. Even many common people took up hoes and sticks to help the government troops to encircle and suppress. Li Hu is for me and the prince."

At this point, he was slightly startled, then looked at Dai Quan and asked, "How is the prince?"

"I'm feeling much better after taking the medicine prescribed by Dr. Li."

Dai Quan sighed silently. Every year when the autumn and winter seasons come, the prince's cough will get worse and he will cough up blood. He hopes to take care of himself in the first half of the year and endure it slowly.

Emperor Yongchang sighed deeply, turned around and walked out of the imperial garden.

Dai Quan's heart skipped a beat and he hurriedly followed.

As Emperor Yongchang walked, he asked Dai Quan, "Where is the emperor's grandson now?"

Dai Quan: "I am studying with several teachers."

Emperor Yongchang stopped and said, "Tell the Crown Prince that from tomorrow on, the Emperor's grandson will live with me in the Yangxin Palace, and I will personally train him."

"Yes." Dai Quan suppressed the excitement in his heart.

At this time, the eunuch on duty in the Yangxin Palace appeared outside the Imperial Garden in a panic.

Emperor Yongchang was shocked.

The eunuch on duty came running over with a piece of urgent mail with chicken feathers stuck on it: "It's from Luoyang, 800 miles away!"

Emperor Yongchang took the urgent letter, tore open the seal and read it. His eyes suddenly widened and his face turned as pale as paper!

Dai Quan was stunned by his expression and held his breath.

After an unknown amount of time, Emperor Yongchang came to his senses, but his face turned from pale to blue, and his eyes kept flashing coldly. Then he blurted out a few words from between his teeth: "Wang Ziteng, this waste!" Dai Quan was startled. Wang Ziteng lost the battle?
With a humph, Emperor Yongchang said, "Let's go to the study room!"

Kunning Palace

A stick of sandalwood with wisps of green smoke floating in the air.

The queen sat on the couch, counting her beads and nodding slightly.

The eunuch in charge was whispering something on the side with a smile on his face.

The rosary stopped, and the queen spoke: "The mausoleum of Concubine Xian has been built. The emperor often said that Concubine Xian loved to appreciate flowers in the imperial garden when she was alive. Go to the Flower and Tree Bureau and carefully select some people to send to Concubine Xian's mausoleum. Tell them that if they take good care of the flowers and plants there, the emperor will reward them generously."

The eunuch in charge understood and said, "Yes." He bowed and retreated.

Just as the eunuch in charge left, a young eunuch hurried in and whispered, "Madam, I have heard that Wang Ziteng was ambushed by the White Lotus rebels and suffered a defeat."

The queen subconsciously clenched the rosary in her hand: "Where is the second prince?"

The young eunuch said, "Your Highness, Jia Zheng learned the news from the defeated soldiers and does not know the specific situation."

The queen was silent for a moment, then asked, "What else did you find out?"

Young eunuch: "The emperor is discussing with the Duke of Zhenguo and others where to send troops for support."

The queen nodded.

The young eunuch suddenly remembered: "Prince Zhongshun is back."

Qianqing Palace

When the eunuch on duty walked out of the palace gate, he immediately saw Prince Zhongshun, who was still dusty and sitting on a sedan chair waiting for him.

The Dashun Dynasty inherited the Ming system, and the princes or old and sick ministers could ride in the imperial palace with a double sedan chair with special permission. The so-called double sedan chair was actually a special chair with the backrest and two sides sealed with a whole piece of wood, leaving only the front empty for people to sit on. Two bamboo poles passed through the two sides of the chair, and two eunuchs carried it by hand or on their shoulders.

The title of King Zhongshun was not restored, but he was ill. He went to the palace to report the emperor's order, and the eunuch on duty at the palace gate had him carried in.

Walking up to him, the eunuch on duty half-saluted Prince Zhongshun and said, "Your Highness, please go back. The Emperor is busy and will not be seen today."

After hearing this, Prince Zhongshun's already ugly face became even uglier.

The eunuch on duty said: "It's not that the emperor doesn't want to see you, it's really something important!"

King Zhongshun: "What's the big deal? Could it be that Li Hu was defeated?"

The eunuch on duty said: "It's not the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery, it's Wang Ziteng!"

Prince Zhongshun's eyes lit up: "Wang Ziteng also suffered a defeat?!"

The eunuch on duty said: "I heard that they were ambushed by the White Lotus rebels." At this point, he realized that he had spoken out of turn and looked at Prince Zhongshun cautiously.

Prince Zhongshun was not angry at all, there was even a faint smile on his face.

The eunuch on duty was slightly stunned. Is this happiness?

Wang Ziteng is a good man!

King Zhongshun praised Wang Ziteng highly in his heart. He could finally put down the burden that had been weighing on him these days. It was not because he was incompetent, but because the White Lotus rebels were too cunning!
Thinking of this, King Zhongshun felt relieved. He hadn't been home for a long time and missed it very much. Well, let's go back and have a drink with Qi Guan.

The emperor's edict was delivered to Li Hu's central military tent at the foot of the mountain three days later in the afternoon, after an express delivery of 800 miles.

After reading the imperial edict, Li Hu was completely stunned. What was this? A fire brigade captain and a Qing dynasty paperhanger? Pah, the Qing dynasty was starving outside the Great Wall! What was this? You can't just use someone to death! If this goes on, I won't be able to go home and spend the New Year with Lin Daiyu again this year!

After greeting the emperor in his heart, Li Hu shouted, "Tell all the camp leaders to come to the central army tent to discuss the matter!" (End of this chapter)