The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. Fukangan had rested well, and the livestock in Nanhaizi had been almost eaten.

Looking at the majestic and magnificent city of Beijing, Fu Kang'an's face became gloomy.

The nobles of the Eight Banners rode around him.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers, with flags fluttering and bright armor, have formed into formations and are ready to attack.

An Eight Banners noble could not help but curse: "This old man is really patient. The common people outside have been scolding him like this, but he still doesn't fight. What an old turtle!"

Another Eight Banners noble: "We've already taken it, so why not just let it go!"

Another Eight Banners noble: "Yes, let's rob as much as we can! He who wins the hearts of the people will rule the country? That's nonsense! If we kill too many of them, they will naturally kneel down and beg for mercy!"

The other Eight Banners nobles spoke up in agreement, their faces full of anticipation.

Fu Kang'an came back to his senses, and his two cold eyes slowly swept across the faces of the Eight Banners nobles.

Everyone looked awe-inspiring.

Fu Kang'an snorted and said, "Anyone who dares to disobey my orders will be beheaded!"

The nobles of the Eight Banners could only answer: "Yeah!"

Fukang'an turned his gaze towards Beijing again, with a hesitant look on his face.

The nobles of the Eight Banners around him spoke up: "Your Majesty, I have a way to get the Han people to leave the capital and fight with us in the field."

Fu Kang'an turned his gaze to him again.

The Eight Banners nobles: "The imperial tomb, dig up the imperial tomb of the Li family."

Fu Kang'an was a little shocked and looked at him intently.

The Eight Banners noble: "That old man can ignore the lives of the common people and his reputation, but he can't even abandon his ancestors, right?"

Fu Kang'an frowned. Digging up people's ancestral graves was against the will of heaven and was the most vicious and immoral thing.

The Eight Banners noble: "Back then, Li dug up the tomb where Emperor Shizu Zhang and Empress Xiaoxian and Empress Xiaokang Zhang were buried together."

Fu Kangan: “Oh?”

The noble of the Eight Banners continued, "Although this was done by the old Prince Beijing, the account must be attributed to the Li royal family. We are avenging Emperor Shizu Zhang! In addition, countless treasures were buried in the imperial mausoleum."

As soon as these words came out, many nobles of the Eight Banners started shouting:

"The ancestral tomb of the Li royal family was dug up!"

"Revenge for Emperor Shizu Zhang!"

Fukang'an looked at him without saying anything.

The noble of the Eight Banners: "We can use courtesy first and then force, and release the eunuchs guarding the tomb. If that old man doesn't send anyone, we can dig up his Li family's ancestral tomb. When they come, we will fight them. Without the city walls, camps and artillery, those old soldiers are definitely no match for our Eight Banners cavalry!"

After a pause, he said, "Only the troops at Shanhaiguan are okay."

The nobles of the Eight Banners looked at each other, and then cast expectant glances at Fu Kang'an.

Fu Kang'an blinked for a long time, then shouted: "Let's go and avenge Emperor Shizu Zhang!"

All the nobles of the Eight Banners became excited: "Yes! Let's avenge Emperor Shizu Zhang!"

After taking the medicine and taking a nap, Emperor Wushang looked much better. He leaned against the head of the bed and listened to the report from the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister was still sitting on the stool beside the bed, reading the official document: "The Zhenbei Palace's manor in Xishan sent several corpses. It was confirmed that the ones who looted the surrounding areas of the capital were Han army flags, not deserters."

The Supreme Emperor's face darkened and he said, "This bunch of traitors have forgotten their ancestors and taken the enemy as their father!" He coughed twice.

The Prime Minister looked at the Supreme Emperor with some concern.

The Supreme Emperor: "I'm fine."

The Prime Minister: "Yes." He answered and read another document, "Zhongjing Hou Shi Ding just sent a victory report. The Ruishi Battalion took advantage of the snowy night to raid the camp of the Korean vassal army and captured more than 30,000 heads. Shi Ding said that they will look for an opportunity to fight Hong Zhou in the next one or two days."

The Supreme Emperor nodded and said, "Reply to Shi Ding and tell him not to rush and to proceed step by step."

Before he could finish his words, the eunuch in charge of the seal rushed in with a panic-stricken look.

The Supreme Emperor frowned, and the eunuch in charge of the seal had already run to the bed and knelt down.

Supreme Emperor: "What's the matter? Why are you so flustered?"

The eunuch holding the seal: "The emperor, the emperor's mausoleum."

The Supreme Emperor was shocked: "What happened to the Imperial Mausoleum?"

The eunuch in charge of the seal said: "Fukangan led the army to capture the imperial mausoleum. Release the eunuchs guarding the mausoleum and tell them, tell them."

The Supreme Emperor was anxious: "What did you say?!"

The eunuch in charge of the seal said: "Fu Kang'an said that if we don't send a large army to fight them, we will dig up the tombs of our ancestors and throw the remains of Emperor Taizu Gao on the roadside to be trampled into powder by horses." As he said this, he looked cautiously at the Supreme Emperor.

The Supreme Emperor's face had turned livid, his eyes bloodshot, but he stared at him with gritted teeth.

The eunuch in charge of the seal said: "Fukangan said that if he doesn't see our army at noon tomorrow, he will dig up the graves." "Beast!" The Supreme Emperor finally screamed! His face turned from blue to white, his eyes were fierce, and his fists were shaking violently!

The eunuch in charge of the seal jumped up in fright.

The Prime Minister was also shocked.

"Supreme Emperor! Supreme Emperor!" the eunuch who held the seal called out in a trembling voice.

The Supreme Emperor seemed to wake up and shouted loudly: "Someone come!"

"I'm here," the eunuch in charge of the seal responded hurriedly.

The Supreme Emperor roared like a madman: "Gather the troops, I will lead the army in person!"

The eunuch in charge of the seal replied tremblingly, "Yes." He turned around and strode out.

"Wait!" The Prime Minister finally reacted.

The eunuch in charge of the seal had already stepped to the door of the bedroom, but he stopped at the Prime Minister's shout and turned to look at him.

The Supreme Emperor, who was still shaking with anger, also stabbed his eyes at him.

The Prime Minister knelt down before the Supreme Emperor with a thud, his voice trembling with excitement: "Supreme Emperor! This is a conspiracy of the false Tartar Emperor, in order to trick our army into leaving the capital so that we can surround and annihilate them! The Supreme Emperor must not fall for the false Tartar Emperor's scheme!"

The Supreme Emperor stared at him and said, "That is my ancestor. If I can't even protect the tomb of my ancestor, how can I face my ancestors?"

The Prime Minister was anxious: "Having lost the country, the Supreme Emperor has no face to see his ancestors!"

The Supreme Emperor was reminded by the Prime Minister and finally woke up. His previous rage was gone, and instead he looked confused and slightly desolate.

At this moment, the eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate rushed in like a gust of wind, raised the bundle in his hand, and panted: "Cut off, cut off your hair and ask for battle."

The eunuch in charge of the seal snatched the bundle, untied it, and found wisps of hair inside!

The Supreme Emperor threw off the quilt, got out of bed, held up the hair with trembling hands, moved his lips, and spoke after a long while: "The army's morale can be used! The army's morale can be used."

The Prime Minister was startled for a moment, and grabbed the arm of the eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate: "What's going on?"

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate said: "A dozen eunuchs guarding the mausoleum have come outside the city. They spread the news and now the people outside the city are furious. Soldiers are asking for battle. These are the hairs of officers above the rank of lieutenant general!"

Fu Kang'an is so cruel!
The Prime Minister closed his eyes and looked at the hair again. On the battlefield, soldiers would cut off their hair to show their determination to fight to the death and kill the enemy bravely.

He knew that he couldn't stop it at this time, nor could he stop it. But as the chief minister of the cabinet, he had to speak up.

The Supreme Emperor spoke: "Issue an order to summon all officers above the rank of lieutenant general to the Fengtian Palace. I will lead the army in person!"

Prime Minister: "Supreme Emperor! You cannot lead the army in person."

The Supreme Emperor turned around and glared at him.

Prime Minister: "The emperor is young. For the sake of Dashun's country, you cannot lead the army in person!"

The Supreme Emperor was stunned for a moment and said, "I won't lead the army in person, so don't try to stop me." He then turned to the eunuch in charge of the seal, "Help me change my clothes." After that, he turned and went into the compartment.

The Prime Minister sighed.

In the early morning, the sun shines on the Deshengmen Tower.

The Supreme Emperor raised his arms and shouted: "Long live Dashun!"

"Long live Dashun!"

Amidst earth-shaking shouts, the Dashun army set out in a mighty force!
The Prime Minister stood beside the Supreme Emperor, took a deep breath, looked into the distance with worried eyes, and thought to himself: I hope I can win, or at least not lose too badly!

Three days passed in a flash.

Another sleepless night.

The candle on the imperial desk was almost burned out.

The Supreme Emperor sat there, his eyes staring upward in a daze.

The eunuch in charge of the seal standing by sighed silently. Three days passed and no military reports came. The Imperial Household Department sent out batches of spies, but only a few returned. The rest died at the hands of the Jurchen Tartars.

They only knew that the two sides were fighting a great battle, but they knew nothing about the specific circumstances.

Yesterday morning, the Supreme Emperor dispatched 3,000 men from the remaining imperial guards. After they left the city, no news came back.

At this time, the Prime Minister led the frightened Deshengmen guard to the door.

The eunuch in charge of the seal called softly, "Supreme Emperor."

The Supreme Emperor came back to his senses.

The commander of Deshengmen knelt down before the Supreme Emperor with a thud: "Our army was defeated. Shi Nai, the Marquis of Zhongjing, the generals of Shanhaiguan and Shandong were killed in the battle. Niu Ben, the commander of the imperial army and the Duke of Zhenguo, was seriously injured. Only less than 30,000 soldiers returned."

The Supreme Emperor's eyes widened and his face turned pale immediately. Then his body trembled, and he covered his chest with his hands and slowly stood up.

"The Supreme Emperor!" The eunuch in charge of the seal hurried to support him.

The Supreme Emperor fell backwards (End of this chapter)