The Military Governor in Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 94 Imperial Edict

"The roads are blocked by heavy snow, yet you still dare to head south?" Dai Quan asked in surprise.

Under such severe weather conditions, Ligdan Khan's southward march must have come at a great cost.

For example, people and horses might freeze to death or suffer from frostbite. If things go wrong, they could suffer heavy losses before even seeing their opponent.

"He really dotes on this youngest son," Emperor Chongli said casually.

"Your Majesty, this matter must be handled with utmost care. If not handled properly, war will break out in Xuanfu Town," Dai Quan said.

"The other side probably doesn't want to start a major war at this time either. So, let's send someone to negotiate," Emperor Chongli said.

Lindan Khan's main goal was to rescue Abunai.

If he were to actually plunder Xuanfu Town, the Da Hong Dynasty might be so angry that they would chop off his son's head.

This is a game of strategy.

"Who should we send? The garrison commander of Xuanfu or the governor?" Dai Quan frowned. The choice of negotiator was crucial.

"Send Feng Shan," Emperor Chongli said, glancing at Dai Quan. "He captured Abunai, so he should handle the aftermath. If he can't resolve it properly, I won't let him off easily!"

By the end, Emperor Chongli's face was filled with coldness.

Feng Shan stole the credit for capturing Abunai. Even though he knew it, there was nothing he could do but accept it.

Because the retired emperor was behind Feng Shan.

But that doesn't mean he has no temper at all.

Lin Danhan's southward threat has given him an opportunity to put some pressure on Feng Shan.

It's all taken care of, that's good.

If things go wrong, I can punish Feng Shan myself, and the Emperor Emeritus can't say anything about it.

Emperor Chongli made the decision to promote Feng Shan to Grand Secretary of the Daming Palace after weighing the pros and cons.

More important than that was who held the position of the garrison eunuch of Datong Town.

But if Feng Shan fails in this negotiation, he can put his promotion on hold.

In any case, Feng Shan's appointment as the chief scribe will inevitably affect the issuance of some of his decrees.

Dai Quan smiled and said that Feng Shan was indeed the most suitable candidate.

These days, the people on Feng Shan's side have become a bit too complacent, and he's long been fed up with it.

"Long live the Emperor! We must also be vigilant in Datong Town and strengthen our defenses," Dai Quan reminded.

"That's right, Chen Tai and the others are all in the capital, which is not good." Emperor Chongli's expression changed as he said, "Issue an imperial edict ordering Chen Tai and the other soldiers of Datong Garrison to return immediately to prevent a surprise attack from the northern barbarians."

Since Xuanfu Town was the closest to the Chahar tribe, it was perfectly normal for Ligdan Khan to choose Xuanfu Town when the roads were blocked by heavy snow. However, the nearby Datong Town could not be taken lightly.

Emperor Chongli could not feel at ease if General Chen Tai was not stationed in Datong.

"Wait, Jia Chen is getting married today." Emperor Chongli called out to Dai Quan.

Dai Quan didn't quite understand the emperor's meaning for a moment, so he asked in a low voice, "Could Jia Chen postpone his departure for a few days?"

Getting married is a major life event, but it is quite rare for someone to rush to the battlefield on their wedding day.

"Qianshan Fortress cannot be lost. If the Northern Barbarians want to plunder Datong, Qianshan Fortress is also an outpost. Jia Chen, the fortress commander, cannot be absent." Emperor Chongli said in a deep voice.

He was naturally deeply impressed by Jia Chen, as the two great victories were mainly due to Jia Chen's efforts.

This gave him the feeling that Jia Chen was the nemesis of the Northern Barbarians.

If Jia Chen hadn't returned to Datong Town, he would have felt even more uneasy.

"Jia Chen has rendered great service; therefore, his mother and wife shall be granted imperial decrees in recognition of their merits!" Emperor Chongli declared.

Dai Quan was somewhat surprised, but after thinking about it, he understood.

The emperor really values ​​Jia Chen, as he simultaneously bestowed imperial titles upon both Jia Chen's mother and wife.

This is probably some compensation for Jia Chen.

After all, this was to send Jia Chen to Qianshanbao on his joyous occasion.

To put it bluntly, Jia Chen might never return, dying on the battlefield.

Granting titles to family members was also intended to encourage soldiers to serve the court better.

The atmosphere at Jia Chen's place was lively and bustling, and even as dusk approached, everyone's enthusiasm remained undiminished.

Jia Chen moved between the tables, serving the guests. The wine wasn't very strong, and he didn't drink much. He wasn't drunk, but he was tired.

"Report!" A voice suddenly rang out from outside.

Jia Chen couldn't help but look towards the doorway, where one of Chen Tai's personal guards stood.

"Lord Jia, the Earl of Pinglu has ordered that military affairs in Datong are urgent, and you are to set off immediately to meet up with the Jingying camp. Do not delay." The personal guard ran up to Jia Chen and delivered the order.

Jia Chen's expression changed, and he hurriedly asked in a low voice, "Brother, what happened?"

"My lord, Ligdan Khan has led a large army to besiege Xuanfu Town. The court is worried that Datong may fall—" The guard recounted what he knew to Jia Chen.

He knew that the Earl valued Jia Chen highly.

"Thank you for your hard work, brother." Jia Chen stuffed two taels of silver into the hands of his personal guard.

"You're too kind, sir. I still need to inform the others, so I'll take my leave now."

The surrounding guests were dumbfounded by what they saw.

How did such a joyous occasion turn into a day of departure for war?

Upon hearing this, Jia Shenshi was filled with worry.

Jia Chen, on the other hand, remained calm. Even if he had concerns, he had to appear calm to reassure his mother and relatives.

"Mother is doing alright, but your wife... sigh..." Madam Jia didn't know how to talk to her daughter-in-law.

She had only just married into the family when her husband was about to leave on a long trip, and she didn't know when he would be back.

"Mother, I'll go talk to her," Jia Chen said.

Just then, someone outside suddenly shouted that an imperial edict had arrived.

This startled the guests present.

A eunuch carrying an imperial edict entered, surrounded by several guards.

The guests present immediately knelt down on the ground, not daring to lift their heads.

Since it was an imperial edict, even the bride, Qin Keqing, had to come out to receive it.

However, today's situation is somewhat special. It is a joyous occasion with many guests present, so it is not appropriate for the women to appear directly in front of everyone. Therefore, Qin Keqing was allowed to receive the imperial decree behind a screen.

Once everyone had arrived, the eunuch unfolded the imperial edict.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Jia Chen, a commander of a thousand households, has served the borders with merit that benefits the nation. Therefore, his mother, Lady Shen, and his wife, Lady Qin, are hereby granted the title of Lady Yi, as a sign of commendation. So be it!"

(It seems there were some differences in the correspondence between the ranks of civil and military officials in the Ming Dynasty, so we'll just use a simplified and consistent system here. Please don't take it too seriously.)

Upon hearing that it was an imperial decree conferring a title, Jia Chen's mother could hardly believe her ears.

Only after Jia Chen reminded him did he hurriedly express his gratitude.

A quick-witted servant hurriedly brought Jia Chen some silver. As soon as Jia Chen took a sip, he roughly knew the amount; it was about a dozen taels.

This is a great joy, and he wouldn't begrudge spending the money.

The eunuch accepted the silver that Jia Chen handed him without batting an eye, thinking to himself that this young commander was quite worldly-wise, no wonder even the Emperor treated him so well.

He smiled and said, "Congratulations, Commander."

The eunuch who delivered the imperial decree left quickly.

The previously heavy atmosphere dissipated considerably.

Jia Chen was filled with emotion.

It was an immense honor for the emperor to bestow titles upon both his mother and wife.

Generally speaking, only high-ranking officials in the court, especially those favored by the emperor, could achieve this.

And yet, he himself was merely a lowly commander, and he received such treatment.

Jia Chen didn't know if this was because of the Jia family.

On second thought, that's probably not the case.

The emperor didn't particularly like the Jia family.

It can only be the merits he earned himself.

Although he had shared many of his credits with others, Jia Chen believed that the emperor must have some channels to know who the real contributors were.

Those Imperial Guards were no pushovers.

"Master~~" Qin Keqing helped Jia Chen put on his armor and robes inside the room.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back.

Although being granted the title of Lady was a joyous occasion, she was more worried that Jia Chen's trip to Datong might be fraught with danger.

"Don't worry, it's freezing cold, the northern barbarians might not even come to Datong," Jia Chen reassured him. "This trip is just some precautions; it's safe within the fortress. I'll handle it myself."

Jia Chen was wearing new cloth armor, which was lighter than iron armor, but it was still quite heavy for a weak woman like Qin Keqing.

After serving Jia Chen for a while, her face was already flushed.

"Sir, I can do it."

Jia Chen laughed heartily, reached out and grasped Qin Keqing's small hand, feeling its softness as if it had no bones.

This caused a stir in Jia Chen's heart, and a strange emotion welled up inside him.

This was the first time Qin Keqing had ever had her hand held by a man like this, and her cheeks flushed and turned even redder.

The two had only drunk a toast together before, and there had been no further action between them.

Later, Jia Chen continued to entertain guests outside.

However, thinking that this was her husband, Qin Keqing's shyness slowly faded away.

Jia Chen took a deep breath, realizing it was best not to let his mind wander at the moment.

But I couldn't help it.

The planned wedding night was thus completely disrupted.

Seeing Qin Keqing's insistence, Jia Chen couldn't completely refuse.

After they were dressed, Jia Chen took Qin Keqing's hands, and the two looked at each other.

Qin Keqing's eyes initially darted away, but then she stopped avoiding them.

Jia Chen embraced Qin Keqing and whispered, "When I'm not home, help Mother manage the household. Also, help Xiaoya catch up on her studies so she can keep up and not fall too far behind."

Jia Chen was giving instructions, and Qin Keqing responded softly with "Mmm".

Everything that needed to be explained has been explained, and it's about time.

Jia Chen kissed Qin Keqing on the forehead one last time and said, "My wife, wait for me to come back."

"Master, I'll wait for you!" Qin Keqing hugged Jia Chen's strong waist tightly with both hands.

Amidst the admonitions and reluctant gazes of his mother, wife, and sister, Jia Chen left home and immediately headed to the Jingying garrison outside the city.

By the time they arrived at the Beijing garrison, it was already dark.

Chen Tai had been here for a while, and of course, Jia Chen wasn't the last one either.

After everyone arrived, Chen Tai recounted the events and immediately ordered them to travel overnight.

Jia Chen and his entourage changed horses but not people the whole way, traveling day and night, and arrived in Datong at noon on the third day.

Then, everyone dispersed.

Jia Chen and Ye Fandong followed Liu Tianwang back to Beidong Road.

After resting briefly at Desheng Fort, Jia Chen and Ye Fandong left the city.

"Brother Jia, let's part ways here. I'll head west, and you head east," Ye Fandong said, bowing to Jia Chen from his horse.

The two stopped at a three-way intersection.

"Have a safe trip, brother," Jia Chen said with a smile.

The two became even closer, and in private they referred to each other as brothers.

Although Ye Fandong's position was far above Jia Chen's, he was a generous and forthright person.

"Brother, let's go over there for a bit. There's something I need to talk to you about," Ye Fandong said after a moment's hesitation.

Jia Chen nodded and followed Ye Fandong for a while.

Their guards remained behind them, keeping a certain distance.

The guards were dispatched by the General's Office. Because they were returning in such a hurry, they didn't have time to notify their subordinates to come and greet them.

The General's Office will be responsible for the safety of the journey back and will send someone to take them to their destination.

Jia Chen understood; Ye Fandong probably wanted to tell him something rather secret, something that only the two of them could know.

"Brother, don't you have any thoughts about Wei Ya being appointed as the garrison commander of Zhenqiang Fort?" Ye Fandong asked.

Jia Chen was stunned for a moment.

Wei Ya took office a few days before everyone went to the capital.

Most of the houses in Zhenqiang Fort were burned down, but it was still a major fort in the Northeast Road, so it was worth discussing who would be in charge of its defense.

Jia Chen knew that Ye Fandong also wanted to be the garrison commander.

Juqiangbao is still a little inferior to Zhenqiangbao. If Ye Fandong were to serve as the garrison commander of Zhenqiangbao, it would be equivalent to a half-level promotion.

However, in the end, Wei Ya, supported by Liu Tianwang, came to power.

Chen Tai was clearly giving Liu Tianwang face, since the two still had a cooperative relationship.

However, Ye Fandong's sudden mention of Wei Ya in front of me must be related to me.

"Of course I have my thoughts," Jia Chen said with a wry smile. "If you ask me, I would definitely oppose him being appointed as the garrison commander of Zhenqiang Fort. It's just that my position is too lowly for me to have a say."

For Jia Chen, opposing Wei Ya was perfectly normal.

Back in Qianshanbao, this guy immediately tried to pin the blame on himself, wanting to make himself a scapegoat.

Later, he used his own head and Abuna's head to retaliate, slapping Wei Ya in the face.

Wei Ya must be holding a grudge against me.

Jia Chen was fully aware of this.

It's obvious that the other person wanted to harm me, but now it's like I owe them something.

If Wei Ya were to serve as the Inspector of Desheng Fort, that would be fine; he would be quite far away from me, and it wouldn't be easy for him to directly manage me.

But now that he has come to Zhenqiang Fort, the situation is different.

It seems that Qianshanbao will be restricted by him in the future.

Jia Chen didn't have a good solution for the time being.

Of course, he didn't care too much. Was He Liding really friendly to him before?

They also secretly sabotage themselves in various ways.

"I ran into a friend at Deshengbao just now. He's quite well-informed and heard some things about Wei Ya, and also about you, my brother," Ye Fandong said.

Jia Chen's ears perked up, but he remained silent, waiting for Ye Fandong to continue.

"Wei Ya probably got a bit drunk at a drinking party once. Back then, he wasn't the garrison commander of Zhenqiang Fort yet. He said some things, saying that you, Jia Chen, are doing very well now, and he doesn't like it. He said that if he gets the chance, he'll make you pay," Ye Fandong sighed. "Now he's the garrison commander of Zhenqiang Fort, so you'd better be careful."

"Thank you for letting me know, I will pay attention," Jia Chen said.

Ye Fandong nodded and said, "Take care, brother!"

After watching Ye Fandong and the others leave, Jia Chen stood there for a long time.

Wei Ya's words might have been said in anger, and if that's the case, then that's for the best.

But Jia Chen dared not think that way; he had to prepare for the worst.

In other words, Wei Ya is now the garrison commander of Zhenqiang Fort, his superior. If Wei Ya really wants to deal with him, he is at a disadvantage from the start.

Next, I need to pay close attention to Wei Ya's movements. We'll have to wait until we return to Qianshan Fort to make a decision on this matter.

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