The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

".Traitor, evil thief, rebel!"

The Empress Dowager slowly opened her eyes and gradually saw her poor daughter-in-law sitting beside the couch and wiping her tears: "Don't cry."

"Mother!" The Queen Mother was surprised and delighted. She turned to the eunuch in charge and said, "Medicine! Bring me the medicine quickly!"

The eunuch in charge of the seal quickly picked up the medicine and handed it to the empress dowager.

Jia Yuanchun had already hurried to the bedside, holding the little emperor's hand.

The Empress Dowager then looked at Jia Yuanchun and the little emperor again. Seeing that their faces were covered with tears and their eyes were full of concern, she forced a smile and said, "It's okay."

Jia Yuanchun said "hmm" and hurried over to help the Empress Dowager up and let her lean against the large pillow.

The Empress Dowager took the medicine and drank it in one gulp. She then asked the eunuch in charge of the seal: "I vaguely heard the voice of Lord Meng."

The eunuch in charge of the seal was silent for a moment, then replied, "The Prime Minister and several old gentlemen have arrived, and are visiting and asking about your health outside the palace." When he said this, his eyes turned red and he turned his head away in a hurry.

The Empress Dowager had already seen it and asked, "What's wrong?" Her eyes swept towards everyone.

The Queen Mother stood there with her head down, tears streaming down her eyes again.

Jia Yuanchun's tears also flowed like a spring.

The Empress Dowager seemed to understand something, closed her eyes, and said, "Please let the Prime Minister and a few old gentlemen in."

The eunuch in charge of the seal hurriedly asked the young eunuch to bring the screen over.

The Empress Dowager stopped him: "It's time to stop worrying about the formalities."

The eunuch in charge of the seal nodded with tears in his eyes and walked out quickly.

The Empress Dowager said to the Empress Dowager and Jia Yuanchun, "Don't be so shy and just listen."

After a pause, he said, "Don't cry anymore."

The Empress Dowager and Jia Yuanchun both stopped crying.

There was the sound of footsteps, and the Prime Minister, Jia She, and the two Grand Secretaries Shi and Meng walked in. They bowed to the Empress Dowager, the young emperor, the Empress Dowager, and Jia Yuanchun, and then they all stood there in silence, not knowing what to say.

After a moment of silence, the Empress Dowager spoke: "Go ahead."

Jia She and the two grand secretaries Shi and Meng all turned their eyes to the prime minister.

The Prime Minister was silent for a moment, and then told everything that happened during the time when the Empress Dowager was in a coma.

The hall fell into silence again. The Empress Dowager and Jia Yuanchun lowered their heads and kept wiping away tears.

"Is Dashun going to perish?" the little emperor suddenly asked.

Jia Yuanchun's expression was the first to change.

The faces of the Empress Dowager, the Prime Minister, Jia She, the two Grand Secretaries Shi and Meng, and the eunuch in charge of the seal all changed.

The Empress Dowager slowly turned her gaze to the little emperor: "Who told you that?"

The little emperor leaned towards Jia Yuanchun and answered in a low voice after a long while: "That's what people outside say."

The Empress Dowager was stunned for a moment and closed her eyes.

"Dashun will never perish!"

Meng Daxueshi suddenly roared, and said excitedly: "The court still has the King of Zhenbei, and there are more than 100,000 elite troops, and there are 50,000 troops outside the city."

"It's useless. The imperial city is under siege, and the news can't get out. Not to mention Wang Ziteng, even the troops in Shanhaiguan dare not move rashly."

Jia She sighed, "Shanhai Pass, Jizhou, and Juyong Pass are all in Niu Ben's hands. Zijing Pass is now inaccessible. Even if Li Hu gets the news, it will be difficult to support the capital in a short time."

After a pause, he said, "All the streets around Zhenbei Palace have been blocked by the rebels."

Academician Meng's blood was boiling: "Then what do you say we should do? Are we going to just watch that traitor usurp the throne?!"

Jia She was silent for a moment, then replied, "Agree to his terms."

Meng Daxueshi immediately showed a look of dissatisfaction: "Marquis Jia En"

"Listen to me!" Jia She's tone became heavier. "When a dog is angry, it will bite! It doesn't matter if old guys like you and me die, but the royal family only has the emperor now! You and I can risk our lives, but you can't ignore the emperor's safety!"

At this point, his tone was already very sad, "No matter what, we must leave a bloodline for the royal family."

Scholar Meng was stunned and stood there speechless.

At this moment, the eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate rushed in like a gust of wind, holding a box, his eyes full of panic and his face very pale.

The eunuch in charge of the seal frowned and was about to get angry.

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate had already run to him and knelt down, his voice trembling: "The rebels sent it."

The eunuch in charge frowned: "What is it?"

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate swallowed his saliva and said, "You'd better open it and take a look."

The eunuch in charge of the seal opened the lid of the box.

The Prime Minister and the two Grand Secretaries Shi and Meng all came over and their pupils dilated when they took a look.

When the eunuch in charge of the seal saw what was inside the box, his expression suddenly changed and he immediately closed the lid.

The Empress Dowager was surprised and asked, "What's wrong?"

The eunuch in charge of the seal said in a trembling voice: "Nothing, nothing."

The Empress Dowager frowned and said, "Bring it here."

The eunuch holding the seal: "Grand Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager: “Give it to me!” The eunuch in charge of the seal looked at the Prime Minister for help.

The Prime Minister said calmly: "It's just an ordinary toy, nothing special." But his face was very pale.

The Empress Dowager became suspicious and shouted at the eunuch in charge of the seal: "Give it to me!"

The eunuch in charge of the seal looked at the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister opened his mouth but just sighed.

The Empress Dowager turned her gaze to Jia Yuanchun and said, "Give it to me."

Jia Yuanchun did not dare to disobey. She took the box from the eunuch in charge of the seal, opened it, and looked inside. Suddenly, her face turned pale and her hands loosened.

The box fell to the ground and a bloody head rolled out of the box!
The Empress Dowager was shocked!
Jia She was also shocked!

"Uncle!" Jia Yuanchun exclaimed, then her eyes rolled back and she fell down.

"Mother! Mother!" the little emperor cried out and started to cry.

Everyone was shocked.

The Empress Dowager said: "Quick! Help her back to the palace and call the imperial physician to diagnose her pulse!" Then she said to the poor daughter-in-law: "Take the emperor out."

The Queen Mother responded, took the little emperor by the hand and walked out along with the palace maids and eunuchs.

At this time, Jia She walked forward, picked up Wang Ziteng's head with both hands, put it back into the box, held it in his arms, then slowly turned around and looked at the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager sighed deeply, her voice a little hoarse: "We have all tried our best, but it is fate's will. It is God who wants to destroy Dashun. Promise him." Tears flashed in her eyes.

Academician Meng fell to his knees and cried out, "We are incompetent and let the Empress Dowager and the Emperor be bullied by the traitors." Then tears welled up in his eyes.

The Prime Minister and Shi Daxueshi felt the same way and also knelt down and shed tears.

Jia She held the box and stood there in a daze.

Shanhaiguan Garrison Camp

The second master of the Niu family was reading the imperial edict aloud, his eyes full of pride.

The generals of Shanhaiguan looked confused and knelt on the ground in shock.

The second master of the Niu family closed the imperial edict and looked at the deputy general of Shanhaiguan: "Receive it."

The deputy general of Shanhaiguan looked at him and at the imperial edict in his hand.

The second master of the Niu family raised his eyebrows and said, "Why, do you want to disobey the order?"

The deputy general of Shanhaiguan had no choice but to accept the imperial edict.

The second master of the Niu family: "My eldest brother said that as long as you don't cause trouble, we won't confiscate your weapons." After saying that, he turned around and strode away.

Niu Ben didn't want to push too hard. After all, even a rabbit will bite when it is cornered, let alone tens of thousands of elite troops.

The generals and officers of Shanhaiguan knelt there, looking confused and slightly desolate.

The night is already very deep.

The blazing torches illuminated the central army tent.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, the curtains were blown up, and a strong smell of alcohol wafted out.

Inside the big tent, the deputy general of Shanhaiguan sat cross-legged in front of the desk in the middle with his eyes slightly closed.

The generals sat on both sides, drinking silently.

There was a sad atmosphere in the big tent.

The half-drunk lieutenant general was still pouring wine from the wine jar into the bowl. When all the wine in the jar was gone, he threw the jar to the ground and shouted, "Everyone is dead? Why don't you serve wine?"

The general next to him glanced at the deputy general of Shanhaiguan and said, "You are drunk."

"I'm not drunk!" The lieutenant general's eyes were red, and he overturned the low table in front of him, and the food spilled all over the floor.

All the generals turned their eyes to the deputy general of Shanhaiguan.

The deputy general of Shanhaiguan still had his eyes slightly closed and his face expressionless.

"Why! Why do you want us to surrender?" The lieutenant general burst into tears.

Tears welled up from the closed eyes of the Shanhaiguan deputy general.

The generals were already feeling depressed and aggrieved, and now the cry of the lieutenant general moved their hearts so much that they all burst into tears!
Suddenly, a general stood up and shouted, "Fight them!"

All the generals stood up and shouted loudly:

"Fight! Fight with them!"

"Go into the imperial city and rescue the emperor!"

The deputy general of Shanhaiguan slowly stood up, drew the sword from his waist with a crisp "clang" sound, and strode out!
With a swish sound, all the generals drew their swords and strode out!
The sound of cannons, muskets, and roars of killing echoed over the inner city, and flames shot up into the sky.
It was a sleepless night, and the candles were almost burning out.

The Empress Dowager was leaning against the head of the bed, counting the rosary in her hands and reciting Buddhist scriptures silently.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried running came from inside.

The Empress Dowager suddenly opened her eyes.

The eunuch in charge of the seal rushed in and cried, "All the soldiers and horses at Shanhaiguan were killed in the battle."

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, tears falling from her eyes. (End of this chapter)