kvmb Chapter 222 Gu Lin's Urgent Message
Chapter 222 Gu Lin's Urgent Message
After expressing his gratitude, in front of the young military supervisor, the white-haired general took out an object from his sleeve. The object was slightly bluish and coiled, with half a head, erect ears, and slightly bulging pupils.
The fact that this object was on the commander-in-chief of the three armies made its nature obvious. The young military supervisor remained expressionless, but a dark glint flashed in his eyes, which were hidden behind his eyelids.
The Marquis of Zhenbei lowered his head and gently rubbed the object in his hand. The surface of the bronze artifact was cool to the touch but smooth to the touch, a sensation that one only experiences when something is frequently held in the palm of one's hand.
The Marquis of Zhenbei looked up at the young military supervisor in front of him and said, "This is the Tiger Tally. Half of it is in His Majesty's hands, and the other half is in my hands. I don't know what changes will occur on this trip back to the capital to quell the rebellion. I will leave the Tiger Tally here. If you encounter any difficult decisions, you can use the Tiger Tally to command the three armies. I have already instructed Pingjin to cooperate with you."
Instead of accepting the tiger tally, Zheng Hao stood up and bowed to the Marquis of Zhenbei, saying, "This humble official thanks Your Excellency for your trust."
As he handed the tiger tally to the other party, a complex emotion flashed across the Marquis of Zhenbei's eyes.
Although he had spent several months with the young military supervisor, he did not know him well and was unaware of the young military supervisor's true character. Entrusting the tiger tally to him this time was quite risky.
Logically, he should have handed the Tiger Tally to Pingjin, his trusted general and the best candidate to take it. However, the Marquis of Zhenbei had a premonition that his campaign to quell the rebellion in the capital wouldn't be so smooth. Having fought on the front lines for many years, the Marquis of Zhenbei had successfully avoided danger multiple times thanks to his intuition, so he trusted it implicitly. He was preparing for the worst: if he couldn't return unscathed from this campaign, the Zhenbei Army would need a decisive and meticulous successor to lead it. Generals like Pingjin and Li Xiu were brave and resourceful, rare and capable commanders, but they couldn't withstand the Northern Barbarians when the Great Qian Dynasty was in turmoil and the Zhenbei Army was attacked from both sides.
The Marquis of Zhenbei was hesitant to entrust the Zhenbei Army to them, but the young supervisor gave him a different impression. Although the young supervisor didn't show much interest in the military camp and rarely offered his opinions during discussions, after the thank-you banquet and their conversation, the Marquis of Zhenbei realized that the young supervisor was a man of great insight and not just an ordinary civil official. He was quick-witted, knowledgeable in military affairs, and entrusting the Zhenbei Army to him was the best choice.
In the afternoon, the Marquis of Zhenbei led his army out of Youzhou Prefecture and into the capital to quell the rebellion.
Pingjin asked, "Afterwards, did Lord Zheng handle official business at the government office or in the military camp?"
Logically, after the Marquis of Zhenbei left, Zheng Hao, who was in charge of the Zhenbei Army with the Tiger Symbol, should have immediately moved into the army and built good relationships with all the generals.
Looking at the general in front of him, the young military supervisor pondered for a moment before speaking slowly: "After the New Year, the government office will resume work, and there are many official matters that I need to handle. I will trouble the general to take care of the army. If there are any matters that need to be discussed, please send someone to inform me."
Pingjin: "Then let's do as Lord Zheng says."
Zheng Hao nodded slightly. Before leaving the military camp, he said to Ping Jin, "I brought New Year's gifts with me when I came. Please deliver them to the tents of the generals later."
Pingjin should be correct.
Just as he had come, Zheng Hao returned home by carriage.
He summoned Gu An to his study and told him about the Marquis of Zhenbei's trip to the capital to quell the rebellion. Then he said, "Starting after the New Year, you don't need to go to the academy anymore. I have political and military affairs to entrust to you."
Originally, Gu An was thinking that the Marquis of Zhenbei would go to the capital to quell the rebellion. But when he heard the young supervisor's last words, Gu An immediately raised his head and met the other's dark eyes. Although the other did not say it, Gu An felt a little uneasy and sensed that the other was thinking something.
He was naturally gifted, and the young military supervisor had no intention of hiding anything from him. The arrangements the supervisor made for him meant that he would not have to go to the academy, but would instead have to handle political and military affairs, which was completely different from the previous arrangements. In addition, with the turmoil in the capital, it was difficult for Gu An not to guess his thoughts.
In the past, Gu An studied at the academy to prepare for the imperial examinations and to become an official in the court. However, once the Great Qian Dynasty fell into chaos and the country was on the verge of collapse, there was no need to continue taking the imperial examinations.
Especially with Zheng Hao harboring such thoughts, Gu Anxin's mind raced, and she suddenly realized that the young military supervisor had already begun making arrangements.
After arranging things for Gu An, Zheng Hao ordered someone to invite Ye Kuo. The two stayed in the study and discussed matters until it got dark, at which point Zheng Hao had someone send Ye Kuo back.
Zheng Hao lifted his leg and headed to the backyard.
Even though it was the New Year, Gu Lin was not idle. Merchants and wealthy households in the city kept sending him gifts. He could return the gifts from the less important ones through Da Yan, but he had to pay special attention to returning gifts to the leading merchants and the newer ones.
Besides these, Gu Lin also needed to focus on the porridge distribution. By the time he finished everything, it was already dark. When Zheng Hao entered the room, he had just finished bathing and had not yet eaten dinner.
Zheng Hao ordered someone to bring him food, and the two sat down close together, eating and talking about the events of the day.
After hearing Zheng Hao's words, Gu Lin stopped picking up food and turned to look at him, disbelief flashing in his eyes: "The Marquis of Zhenbei really handed over the Tiger Tally to you?"
Although he had only met the other party a few times, Gu Lin could roughly estimate the true character of the Marquis of Zhenbei. Although the other party seemed to be generous, open and unguarded, he was actually very meticulous and vigilant.
Under these circumstances, it was quite unexpected that the Marquis of Zhenbei would hand over the tiger tally to Zheng Hao instead of his trusted general.
As Zheng Hao placed food into Gu Lin's bowl, he calmly analyzed, "It's a matter of necessity."
Marquis Zhenbei, a seasoned general, was naturally astute. Although he entrusted Gu An to him before leaving, it did not mean that Gu An completely trusted him.
The reason I handed over the tiger tally to him was simply because of the circumstances.
The enemy is uncertain whether their mission to quell the rebellion in the capital will result in life or death. If the Crown Prince is defeated and the Third Prince ascends the throne, the Marquis of Zhenbei, who helped the Crown Prince, is destined to meet a bad end. At that time, the Zhenbei Army will be left leaderless.
The Third Prince will send his own people to Youzhou Prefecture to take charge of the Zhenbei Army, but this fierce army that has been dealing with the northern barbarians for many years cannot be controlled by just anyone. Zheng Hao was personally selected by the Marquis of Zhenbei and is the only person who can take charge of the Zhenbei Army and make the most of it. Ping Jin and Li Xiu can take charge of the Zhenbei Army, but they can only take charge of the Zhenbei Army.
For the sake of the people, even though they saw his ambition, they had no choice but to hand over the Zhenbei Army to him, as long as he had no intention of rebelling.
However, Zheng Hao was destined to disappoint the Marquis of Zhenbei.
Gu Lin swallowed a piece of roasted lamb and asked the young prefect beside him, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
He asked casually, not thinking that Zheng Hao really needed his help. Judging from Zheng Hao's way of doing things, he probably had already arranged all the important matters.
He scooped up a bowl of sweet soup and drank it.
Putting down his chopsticks, Zheng Hao said, "There is indeed something I need Uncle Gu's help with."
Stopping from drinking his sweet soup, Gu Lin looked up in surprise and asked, "What is it?"
Zheng Hao: "After the Marquis leads his troops into the capital, the truth about His Majesty's death cannot be kept secret for long. The people of Youzhou Prefecture will soon find out."
He said to the young man, "There will definitely be some unrest in the city at that time. Uncle Gu, keep a close eye on the merchants and wealthy households and control the public opinion in the city to prevent anyone from taking the opportunity to cause trouble."
Zheng Hao could also send his men to handle this matter, but Gu Lin had connections with many merchants in the city, and his men were well-informed, making it much easier and faster for him to handle the matter.
Knowing the gravity of the matter, Gu Lin nodded: "Tomorrow I will have Yu Ercheng put aside his affairs at the White Porcelain Factory and the Glass Factory, and work with Dayan to keep a close eye on the situation in the city."
The next day.
Gu Lin summoned Yu Ercheng and Dayan and gave them instructions one by one. Yu Ercheng and Dayan carefully noted down the instructions and carried them out strictly.
As Zheng Hao had predicted, within a few days, news of Emperor Jian'an's death spread throughout Youzhou Prefecture. Despite the strict control and patrols by soldiers to monitor the city, suspicious individuals remained restless. Among them were several Northern Barbarian scouts who had infiltrated Youzhou Prefecture. These scouts included not only Northern Barbarians but also those they had bribed from the Great Qian. Soon, news of Emperor Jian'an's death and the Marquis of Zhenbei's campaign to quell the rebellion reached the Northern Barbarians.
The Marquis of Zhenbei of the Great Qian Dynasty was a figure that instilled fear in the Northern Barbarians. Although the Northern Barbarians were extremely powerful, they had suffered many defeats against this veteran general who had fought countless battles. As long as he was around, it would be very difficult for the Northern Barbarians to take a piece of the Great Qian Dynasty.
The Northern Barbarian Emperor once publicly expressed his admiration for the Marquis of Zhenbei's heroic spirit. In order to win him over, he offered him high-ranking official positions and generous rewards, stating that if the Marquis of Zhenbei was willing to surrender to the Northern Barbarians, he would be appointed as a Grand General and Duke of Zhenguo.
The position of General of the Northern Barbarians is second only to the emperor, holding the military power of the entire country. The title of Duke of Zhenguo is one rank higher than that of Marquis of Zhenbei.
Faced with the great benefits offered by the Northern Barbarians, the Marquis of Zhenbei, who was loyal to the Great Qian Dynasty, did not waver in the slightest. He returned the favor by killing 100,000 Northern Barbarian soldiers, making it clear that he was determined to be irreconcilable with the Northern Barbarians, which made the Northern Barbarians both fearful and resentful of him.
Upon learning that he was not in Youzhou Prefecture and that the Zhenbei Army was leaderless, the Northern Barbarian Army saw it as a golden opportunity to seize Youzhou Prefecture and immediately led its army to attack.
Faced with the attack of the Northern Barbarian army, the magistrate of a city in Youzhou Prefecture quickly sent word that Zheng Hao and the generals of the Zhenbei Army were discussing the matter in their tent.
It was called a discussion, but in reality, it was the generals of the Zhenbei Army who were discussing countermeasures. Although Zheng Hao had offered several good suggestions before, they still regarded Zheng Hao as a civil official and did not expect him to come up with any better solutions.
The generals discussed the matter, and Li Xiu spoke first: "According to the reports from the scouts and the information obtained from the interrogation of the Northern Barbarian scouts, 300,000 enemy troops are heading south and approaching Fucheng. I humbly request to lead the troops to fight them."
Tian Kang insisted, "You went with the Marquis last time, it's my turn this time."
The tent was noisy and chaotic. Even facing 300,000 enemy troops, they were not afraid. Instead, they were eager to go to the front line and confront the Northern Barbarian army.
The Northern Barbarians are indeed formidable, but their Zhenbei Army is no pushover either. It remains to be seen who will take a bite out of whom!
In their view, the Northern Barbarian army was a clear and obvious military achievement.
Ping Jin interrupted their argument, saying, "This time, the Northern Barbarians have launched an attack with an army of 300,000. I will personally lead the troops there. Li Xiu, Chen Yu, and others will accompany me. The rest of you will stay behind to follow Lord Zheng's orders."
After speaking, Pingjin turned to the young military supervisor and asked, "What does Lord Zheng think?"
Zheng Hao did not immediately agree, but instead asked, "How many troops will the general lead to fight?"
Ping Jin: "The Zhenbei Army has a total of 400,000 men. Lord Hou will lead 50,000 men back to the capital, I will lead 300,000 men to fight the northern barbarians, and the remaining 50,000 soldiers will defend the city."
He said, "The Northern Barbarians and the Zhenbei Army together number 400,000. If 300,000 of them go south, they will not easily move the remaining 100,000 soldiers."
Heijin appeared to be asking the young military supervisor for his thoughts, but in reality, he was simply announcing his decision to the other generals, who shared his opinion.
Zheng Hao spoke up, his tone indifferent: "Then I wish the general a resounding victory and a triumphant return after defeating the enemy!"
Pingjin clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Thank you for your kind words, Lord Zheng."
After discussing the matter, Pingjin did not linger and led his 300,000-strong army away from the city.
A few days later, Yu Ercheng caught a small stall owner in the city. The man was honest and law-abiding. If Yu Ercheng hadn't felt that the man's whereabouts were suspicious and had someone keep an eye on him, he would never have discovered that the honest and law-abiding stall owner who had lived in the city for more than ten years was actually a slender man sent by the Northern Barbarians.
This person was very tight-lipped, and it took Yu Ercheng and Dayan a lot of effort to pry him open his mouth.
After the stall owner spoke, Yu Ercheng and Da Yan looked at each other, their faces revealing a heavy emotion.
Da Yan was left to continue guarding and interrogating Yu Ercheng, who immediately rushed back to his residence.
Upon arriving before Gu Lin, Yu Ercheng spoke rapidly: "It's terrible, Master! The Northern Barbarians' 300,000-strong army attacking Fucheng is just a ruse. What they really want to capture is our Jingcheng. At the latest, 150,000 troops will be at the city gates by tomorrow!"
Gu Lin's mind went blank, but he remained remarkably calm: "Let's talk as we go. We'll head straight to the military camp and bring the spy along with us."
Gu Lin arrived outside the military camp, where Gu An personally came out to greet him. Upon seeing the bound man behind Uncle Gu, Gu Lin said before he could even ask any questions, “Xiao An, this man is a scout from the Northern Barbarians. At the latest, 150,000 enemy troops will be at the city gates by tomorrow. Take me to see Zheng Hao quickly.”
Gu An's expression changed, but without asking any questions, he immediately led Gu Lin into the camp.
Gu Lin followed Gu An into the tent, and when he looked up, he saw that in addition to the young military supervisor, there were several generals inside.
The seasoned men, long accustomed to military life, were taken aback when a young man suddenly burst in. Their faces showed confusion and surprise, but then they saw the young military supervisor at the head of the table walk down and approach him, saying, "Uncle Gu."
Seeing the young man's flustered expression, Zheng Hao's heart sank slightly. Just as he was about to check if there was anything wrong with the man, he heard Uncle Gu hurriedly say, "Zheng Hao, quickly send someone to recall the army. The Northern Barbarians have split into two groups, and what they really want to take is this city."
Zheng Hao's eyes changed slightly, but he said calmly, "Uncle Gu, please speak slowly."
Gu Lin was initially very anxious when he learned that the Northern Barbarians had tricked him and deliberately lured away the main force of the Zhenbei Army in an attempt to capture the city. However, seeing the young man in front of him whose expression remained unchanged even as the mountain collapsed, he gradually calmed down.
"After the Marquis left Youzhou Prefecture, I sensed something unusual happening in the city. To avoid alerting the enemy, I sent men to keep an eye on those suspicious people. Unexpectedly, we captured a Northern Barbarian scout. This man was tight-lipped, and only after severe torture did he reveal the purpose of the Northern Barbarian army."
Gu Lin spoke quickly, his tone much calmer than before.
He looked up at the young prefect, waiting for his reply.
Tian Kang, standing nearby, exclaimed in surprise, his voice booming, "Is this true? Didn't the Northern Barbarians claim to have 300,000 troops marching south? How could they possibly spare 150,000 troops to attack Jingcheng?"
Upon hearing the other party's words, Gu Lin turned his head and was about to explain when he felt a light touch on the back of his hand. He paused and his eyes trembled. It turned out that the young military supervisor had made the gesture while his back was to the generals.
Zheng Hao looked down at him, his eyes conveying a signal, and Gu Lin stopped talking.
Zheng Hao's eyes darkened slightly as he turned to look at Tian Kang. The fact that the Northern Barbarian spy had revealed everything already involved military secrets, and Uncle Gu should not be implicated.
He said, "No one would speak of this lightly. Whether the Northern Barbarians' attack is real or not, the scouts at the front will return with news by tonight at the latest. But gentlemen, it will be too late to discuss how to deal with the Northern Barbarian army by the time the scouts return with their news!"