The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 359 Breaking Through the Heavens

Zeng Zhi packed his bags overnight and rushed to Datong.

Yan Zhongzheng was extremely excited.

"General, the opportunity has arrived."

If the Yongxing Army were to descend into chaos, only the Datong Western Army could suppress them. Although they did not believe that Tang Ping and his men would rebel, they still had the guts to cause trouble, which would only make matters worse. Only the General Commander could clean up the mess.

The imperial court has no choice but to use it.

"Let's wait for Zeng Zhi to go to Datong and figure out the situation first," Wang Xin said, unsure, as information was spreading too slowly.

"There's no rush."

Zhang Yuncheng suddenly said, "Based on my understanding of the Ministry of War, they are more likely to use Hu Liyong."

"impossible."

Yan Zhongzheng disagreed.

Zhang Yuncheng saw through Yan Zhongzheng's thinking and pointed out directly: "Although the Tiancheng Army is weak, it has maintained its integrity and has been stationed in eastern Datong for many years. On the other hand, although the Yongxing Army is chaotic, it consists of only a portion of the soldiers, not all of them. As for the Datong Western Army, although it is causing trouble, over the years, there has been no shortage of troublemaking military towns, and the Ministry of War has the experience to deal with it."

Yan Zhongzheng was stunned. Zhang Yuncheng had a different perspective than him, and he actually started from the Ministry of War, which was something he had not expected.

Zhang Yuncheng understood the court's intentions perfectly.

If the general were to return to Datong, it would mean that the court's efforts in Datong over the years had completely failed, and it would be back to the situation that Feng Yong had created. Therefore, it would be better to choose a slower, potentially riskier option.

Hu Liyong was weak, obedient in the eyes of the imperial court, and was considered a controllable figure.

"Then we have no chance at all?" Yan Zhongzheng sighed. "Then Zeng Zhi's trip will have been in vain."

"uncertain."

Zhang Yuncheng offered a different perspective, laughing, "If Hu Liyong can't handle it, then the court has no one else to use and will have to appoint the General."

"The imperial court has plenty of great generals; what if we don't need the general?"

"The imperial court will certainly use it."

Zhang Yuncheng looked at Wang Xin and cupped his hands in respect, saying, "General, you have a good reputation over the years. When the court reaches its final stage, it will surely use you."

"indeed so."

Wang Xin agreed with Zhang Yuncheng's statement; he thought so too.

Use your own money cheaply.

This is my biggest advantage.

Feng Yong left Datong due to both military and political setbacks.

If he were to leave Datong, the imperial court would only require an imperial edict, which he would obey without hesitation.
Given the same choice, the imperial court would inevitably choose itself.

As for Wang Ziteng, Zhu Wei, and others, Zhang Jifu would absolutely not use them.

As for his trusted confidants, Zhang Jifu had quite a few men under his command.
However, in suppressing the rebellion in Shandong, Zhang Jifu deployed many capable generals, such as Liu Qi, who had followed him for many years, and people like Zhou Wen, who had taken over military power in various places. Each of them was in a specific position, and it was not easy to remove them in a short period of time.

Moreover, Zhang Jifu had to consider whether the people he had chosen could succeed.

Like Zhou Wen.

Even now, the Western Army in Datong has not been able to control the situation, and instead, it has caused trouble.

If Hu Liyong fails, then it will be even more impossible for ordinary people to quell the Datong rebellion. This is not just a peasant uprising, and it cannot be treated too cautiously. For both public and private reasons, Zhang Jifu must consider the most comprehensive plan.

So it is indeed as Zhang Yuncheng said.

Neither Zhang Jifu nor the imperial court would give up easily, meaning they would most likely call upon Hu Liyong. Unless Hu Liyong also fails, there is a 70% chance that Zhang Jifu or the imperial court will reinstate him.

Is this my chance?

Wang Xin didn't know.

Whether to be a loyal minister or a treacherous minister, Wang Xin never considered it; he only did what he thought he should do.

Cao Cao attempted to assassinate Dong Zhuo and then launched a desperate attack on Dong's army, hoping to turn the tide of the war.

Later, he held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords.

He was just doing what he was supposed to do.

Resisting Japanese pirates and pacifying the barbarians, while ordering his subordinates to passively suppress bandits, were also things he wanted to do.

If the court does a good job and the world is at peace, I am just a military man protecting my country.

If the imperial court performs poorly and the country descends into chaos, I am nothing more than a military man who defends my home and country.

An Lushan's rise to power was also due to the internal and external troubles of the Tang Dynasty. With various problems accumulating, using An Lushan was not only cheap but also effective. Therefore, under the constantly deteriorating situation, An Lushan's power gradually increased.

The same applies to Yuan Shikai's rise to power.

This is true for anyone.

What they have in common is that they should first do their own job well.

Before the cholera outbreak, Dong Zhuo was also a great general who guarded a region and quelled the barbarian strife for many years.

As for yourself?

Datong must be protected, and the rioters in Shandong must also be protected.

I have limited abilities, so I will take it one step at a time and protect whoever I can. As for how far I can go, it doesn't actually depend on myself, but on the court.

"Tell Zhao Yong, Tang Ping, Zhang Can, and Liu Tong."

"Control the situation in Datong, save the lives of all parties, and reduce unnecessary bloodshed."

Wang Xin made up his mind.

"Here!"

Yan Zhongzheng was overjoyed.

Wang Xin got up from the table, went to the window and looked at the old tree outside, and couldn't help but sigh.

Zhao Tao, the culprit, was merely a catalyst.

Without him, Datong would have fallen into chaos sooner or later.

However, it's not entirely accurate to say that it was merely a medicinal ingredient.

One Zhao Tao couldn't have caused such a huge mess.

Even if the soldiers killed him, no matter how cruel their methods were, Wang Xin didn't think they were wrong.

The wealthy families committed numerous evils, driving the common people to the brink of despair. When the people finally overturned the tables, they then complained about how cruel and inhumane the common people's methods were. It's truly laughable.

Are the wealthy or the common people more prone to wrongdoing?

Any dynasty that can control its powerful families will enter a golden age, while one that cannot will decline into decline. This is the origin of the saying "Preserve the principles of Heaven and eliminate human desires."

pity.

Although the problem has been clearly understood, no one can solve the evil in human nature.

Wang Xin also knew that he could not solve the evil in human nature.

So I remained calm.

In truth, he had no intention of doing anything, but things pushed him forward step by step. How could Wang Xin not know that he had already begun to be suspected, and if this continued, it would be difficult for the court and him to coexist peacefully?

Zhang Jifu's act of keeping himself out of the loop, from another perspective, was also a way of protecting himself.

Otherwise, if he became like Fatty Feng, and even more powerful than Fatty Feng, the imperial court would definitely suppress and deal with him, and his group of men would have no way to retreat.

Suppress the four kings.

The Prince of Beijing had long lost his fiefdom. Although he had the support of the other three princes and served as their henchman in Beijing, wielding considerable influence, he was a toothless tiger without military power.

The Prince of Dongping and the Commander of Liaodong have been vying for power and profit for many years and have no spare energy, so they are not a threat at present.

The Prince of Annam's mismanagement led to a major defeat at the front.

Although he lost some insignificant prestige by advocating peace against all odds, he also kept the Prince of Annam in check. Bearing the reputation of defeat, he couldn't stand up straight, and the Turkish army on the other side also made him dare not make any rash moves.

As for the Prince of Xining.

The Khan of the Western Regions, Gordan Khan, is becoming increasingly powerful, and the Prince of Xining is still relying on the imperial court.

Although the four princes guarded the border, there were border troubles, but they also saved the court a lot of trouble. The four princes were the most anxious and often made requests to the court.

In previous years, in order to strengthen the Beijing Garrison, troops from the four garrisons of Xuanfu, Jizhou, Zhenbao, Changping and Ping were transferred, so that the total number of troops in these four garrisons was less than 200,000, and in reality even less. Now that reforms are underway, the number of troops in the troop register will only be 120,000.

Therefore, the target for the Beijing Garrison was 180,000 troops; the target for the Datong Garrison was 100,000 troops, ranking second in number along with the Liaodong Garrison, far exceeding the 60,000 troops of the third-ranked Taiyuan Garrison.

Furthermore, Datong Town lacked the internal strife between the Liaodong Military Command and the Prince of Dongping.

Therefore, the Beijing garrison had 180,000 troops, and the Datong garrison had 10

With these 280,000 troops at their disposal, the other towns dared not cause trouble and could only cautiously obey the imperial court's orders.

Zhang Jifu sat motionless behind the desk, having been sitting there for an entire afternoon.

The butler tried to persuade him, but was scolded and kicked out. He had never seen the master so angry. The butler waited at the door, not daring to go in and disturb him. Even the young master did not dare to go in and waited obediently at the door.

"Two million taels of silver."

"I've gone to great lengths for these two million taels of silver, and now look what's happened, causing trouble everywhere." Zhang Jifu finally couldn't sit still any longer and got up in a bad mood.

He walked up to a painting, talking to himself.

The "Six Dragons" painting hanging on the wall is by Chen Rong of the Southern Song Dynasty. It is extremely valuable and hard to come by. A single painting can sell for 10,000 taels of silver, and it is in high demand but not available. There are many people who want it.

This was a gift from Zhang Wenjin when he returned to Beijing before the end of last year.

Not only Zhang Wenjin himself received gifts, but all the officials in the court also received them, each with a valuable gift. This shows Zhang Wenjin's filial piety, no wonder he has a good reputation and many people like and value him.

"Father."

at last.

Zhang Jifu's eldest son boldly walked in and said, "Governor Li believes that Zhang Wenjin is reliable and capable. He handled things easily in Datong without any problems, and suggested that Zhang Wenjin return to Datong. Why did Father refuse?"

"Zhang Wenjin gave you a gift again?"

Zhang Jifu gave him a disdainful look.

Unexpectedly, his father asked so bluntly, and he immediately began to stammer.

With his own children mostly being useless, Zhang Jifu came to understand his mentor somewhat. His mentor liked his disciples even more than his sons.

"Zhang Wenjin has absolutely no skills."

Zhang Jifu became increasingly frustrated.

I should have learned from my mentor earlier and cultivated more outstanding students. Although I have no shortage of students, I haven't focused my attention on this aspect, and I haven't seen any students who satisfy me in the short term.

On the contrary, it was Wang Xin.

This kid is no longer young, but he has always been someone I like.

But fate loves to play tricks.

If Wang Xin is stationed in Datong, I won't have to worry about anything.

Is there really no chance?
Zhang Jifu decided to wait.
-
The rebels in Datong.

Guo Jian's call was met with overwhelming support, and many soldiers responded. Soon, mid- to low-ranking military officers like Liu Zhong joined him, and within a few days, the force had grown to several hundred. Fearing retaliation from the imperial court, they fled to the border regions and settled down on Jiaoshanpo to cultivate the land.

General Feng Meng of Yongxing Army led his troops to Ping immediately, but the soldiers mutinied on the way.

The general was captured and had his ears and nose cut off by the mutinous soldiers. He was only saved from being killed by a military officer and fled back to Datong City in a sorry state.

The Yongxing Army had 30,000 troops, while the town of Datong had less than 5,000 garrisoning them.

Three thousand soldiers were dispatched to quell the rebellion, but not only did they suffer a major defeat, more than a thousand of them defected to the enemy, and even the general was seriously injured.

"It's not that we don't want to help, it's that we can't command the soldiers below."

Li Qi, the Right Route Commander of Yongxing Army, who escaped back, was still shaken. The scene was terrifying. Fortunately, he was protected by his servants, and the soldiers did not fight to the death, so he was able to return unscathed.

"My subordinate said to treat the militiamen better on a regular basis."

Wei Yi complained.

Datong City is in complete chaos.

After Zhang Wenjin left, the Yongxing Army was leaderless. Now, even the general's ears and nose have been cut off, greatly diminishing his prestige. He can no longer control the various military strongholds, which are mostly guarded by militiamen. It's good enough if they don't rebel.

Hoping to mobilize them to quell the rebellion will inevitably lead to another major defeat.

Who would dare to try it?

"wait."

Wei Yi said helplessly, "Jiang Tibiao has been coerced by the mutinous soldiers and is causing trouble in his name. The general is nowhere to be found, and Tibiao has no intention of sending troops. Now we can only wait for the court's decision."

The massive Yongxing Army could not be mobilized.

Wei Yi found it laughable.

"It's better not to get involved." Li Qi made up his mind. Anyway, it wasn't his fault that he caused the mess, and he didn't want to get himself dragged into it.

"It's over."

A military officer ran up, exclaiming in horror, "The commander-in-chief of the Western Army has also been arrested!"

Less than a month.

Datong is in complete chaos, yet it's also very strange.

Caravans continued trading, herders continued grazing their livestock, and farmers continued cultivating their land. Whether they were soldiers, militia, or rebels, each guarded their own territory, keeping to themselves and maintaining a balance.

The imperial court alone lost control over the local areas.

In fact, the Yongxing Army was the first to break down. Datong Military Town needed supplies from the imperial court and could not be self-sufficient. The Yongxing Army was the first to be affected. The soldiers had not received their pay and rations for a month and began to become restless.

As for the local militia, they had long been left to fend for themselves. Now, they no longer had to obey orders and only needed to work for themselves. They had a piece of wasteland and a vegetable garden. Although their lives were poor and cold, they were actually better off than before.

There is only one difference.

The Western Army in Datong was unusually quiet.

The men Hu Liyong sent out returned one by one, bringing back intelligence and information from various places.

"Let's strike at Yongxing Army first."

"Yongxing Army is nearby, so we can't bypass Yongxing Army to go to the enemy's Western Army first. Moreover, if we win over Yongxing Army, will the Western Army of Datong still dare to resist?" Hu Liyong made up his mind and mobilized his troops.

According to the imperial decree, he will take over the administration of Datong.

This is his chance.

He hurriedly led his personal guards to take over Datong City.

Reinforcements are urgently needed; there is no time to lose.

Datong still has several thousand troops, who are the elite of the Yongxing Army. When the two forces join forces, they can defeat the various rebel armies one by one. Hu Liyong doesn't think there will be any problems.

The generals of Datong did not refuse and allowed Hu Liyong to take the lead.

"I'm not worried about anything else."

General Feng Meng, unable to bear the humiliation at home, committed suicide.

The highest-ranking military officer left in the city was Li Qi, the deputy commander. The other deputy commander was in the hands of the mutinous soldiers. Li Qi wholeheartedly supported Hu Liyong in dealing with the mutinous soldiers, as long as he took the lead and Hu Liyong could do whatever he wanted.

Hu Liyong was greatly encouraged by the successful takeover of Datong. He calmly said, "I am only worried that the Western Army of Datong is colluding with the rebels. Therefore, in order to quell the unrest as soon as possible, I would like to ask Wei Yi to go to Jiaoshanpo to persuade the soldiers to surrender, so as to reduce casualties."

Having lived in the same military town of Datong, Hu Liyong knew Yongxing Army inside and out.

Wei Yi had a good reputation among the soldiers, and many soldiers in the Yongxing Army liked him, so it was easy for him to gain the trust of the rioting soldiers.

Hu Liyong's idea was not problematic.

Although the military town of Datong is currently in disarray, the mutinous troops are not a significant force and cannot possibly capture Datong City. It is merely a temporary illusion caused by various factors. The militia will not be a match for the regular troops.

"I agree."

Wei Yi agreed to Hu Liyong's plan.

Being pacified was the best outcome for the mutinous soldiers, and Wei Yi happily set off.

Day three.

Wei Yi brought Guo Jian back, and Guo Jian was willing to submit.

Hu Liyong smiled and kept Guo Jian behind, continuing to send people to persuade more soldiers to surrender and return to the city. The situation was very favorable.

March 8th.

Guo Jian was imprisoned, and Hu Liyong and Jie Bao were escorted to Beijing together.

Liu Zhong and his men fought valiantly to intercept them, but failed.

Guo Jian died from his injuries.

Liu Zhong painted his face with blood to demonstrate his resolve to the entire army, and then launched a surprise attack on Datong City.

The garrison in Datong opened the city gates.

The chaotic soldiers entered the city.

Upon hearing the news, Hu Liyong attempted to escape by scaling a wall and hiding in a civilian house. However, he failed to escape and was captured by the chaotic soldiers. He was then beheaded in public and his body was dismembered.

Liu Zhong calls himself a "brave soul".

He set fire to the city gates of Datong Prefecture, the Censor-in-Chief's Office, and the General's Office, and rallied his comrades from all walks of life, with Liu Zhong declaring himself commander.

is the day.

Be loyal to the covenant.

Do not harm the people, and do not plunder warehouses.

The crowd agreed.

It's just that nobody noticed this small matter.

Wei Yi led his men to Zuoyun City, entering the territory of the Datong Western Army.

(End of this chapter)