Chapter 381 You're not including me in the cake-sharing? (Seeking votes at the beginning of the month!)

The following morning.

A war preparedness meeting was held in the main hall of Jiangzhou.

Xunyang Prince Li Xian, and Zhu Lingxu, the vanguard commander of the Jiangzhou Road army.

Wang Lengran, the governor of Jiangzhou, and Ouyang Lianghan, the chief administrator of Jiangzhou.

The female official in Caishang has a true and wonderful appearance.

All of them participated in this meeting.

Everyone present today received a talisman, a contract, or an imperial edict.

Once the Great Zhou court selects a Grand Commander-in-Chief and the Central Political Affairs Hall, it will issue a conscription order and activate the Great Zhou mobilization system.

The main approach involved issuing decrees through two separate channels: the administrative and the military. These decrees were collectively referred to as "signatures and orders."

The talisman is a fish-shaped talisman.

It's essentially a variant of the tiger tally, meaning the same thing.

A "契" is a wooden official document, which can be understood as a special type of official document with a red header.

The former was given to the military command, while the latter was handed over to the local government.

Once the orders from the Council of State Affairs reach the local area, the local government and the military command will each take the tally and contract from their superiors, examine them together, and only after confirming that there are no errors will local military mobilization be initiated.

The same procedure is being strictly followed in the main hall of Jiangzhou.

In the morning, inside the main council chamber.

Ouyang Rong, Wang Lengran, and other officials of Jiangzhou solemnly accepted the contract handed over by Miaozhen and other palace attendants who were conveying imperial orders, and handed over the fish tally to Zhu Lingxu, the commander-in-chief of the vanguard army.

After careful comparison, it was confirmed to be correct.

Ouyang Rong and Wang Lengran transferred power, including the defense of Jiangzhou and the dispatch of Zhechong Prefecture.

Jiangzhou has officially entered a state of war.

At present, the Grand Commander of the Jiangzhou Road Army, Prince Wei Jisi, has not yet arrived.

The former commander-in-chief was the highest-ranking military officer present.

Wang Lengran, Ouyang Rong, and other state-level officials all need to cooperate with Zhu Lingxu's next move.

However, there is still Prince Xunyang, Li Xian, who is the Pacification Ambassador of Jiangnan Circuit, a position that is nominally equivalent to the Grand General of the Jiangzhou Circuit.

This can be understood as one being responsible for united front propaganda and the other for military combat.

Therefore, Zhu Lingxu also needed to treat Li Xian with utmost respect and humbly inquire about the prince's attitude.

Besides, the lady-in-waiting Miaozhen remained the same female official sent by the court to "take care of" the Xunyang Prince's residence. She stayed close to the Xunyang Prince when he traveled or left the residence, "protecting" him.

As for Rongzhen, she left the group and got a new job as the supervising officer of the imperial army that was about to arrive.

The position of military supervisor was usually held by eunuchs, who supervised military officers leading troops in the field on behalf of the emperor.

However, Empress Wei Zhao placed greater emphasis on employing female officials.

During her reign, the court's system of female historians greatly developed, recruiting a wide range of women, including noble widows, unmarried ladies of the gentry, and respectable women from ordinary families, into the Imperial Observatory.

The female historian was considered to have a significant advantage over the eunuchs.

Ouyang Rong had assumed that Hu Fu would be sent as the military supervisor again this time.

In retrospect, his previous attempt to persuade the returning northern garrison soldiers to surrender had indeed implicated him, leading to numerous impeachments by censors.

However, this tall eunuch who loved to stick on his beard had sent a letter to Ouyang Rong a few days ago, expressing his gratitude for the knife he had given him last time.

After discussing the increasingly powerful momentum of Cai Qinjun's side, Hu Fu sighed in his letter, but it was clear that he was still quite optimistic about the current situation.

Ouyang Rong actually developed a good impression of Shunbo's godson.

However, Ouyang Rong had no right to sympathize with others; he and Hu Fu were in the same boat.

In the letter, Khufu casually mentioned,

Originally, Master Di, Shen Xisheng, Prince Xiang, and others jointly nominated him as the Chief Secretary of the Grand General's Office.

The so-called General's Mansion, also known as the Military Command, is actually the central military tent often mentioned in vernacular novels.

It was the large tent where the commander-in-chief strategized and led the six armies.

This was actually the command center for the entire expeditionary force; it wasn't something that could be done in a single tent, but rather a massive system.

The chief secretary under his name is similar to a secretary-general, the head of the entire military command's internal affairs.

The scenario depicted in traditional Chinese novels, where a general or marshal can wave their hand and declare someone a violation of military law, and then punish them accordingly, is not a reality.

If an army of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of soldiers has to deal with a mere soldier's violation of military discipline, wouldn't that be exhausting for the Grand Marshal?

These tasks were all handled by the Chief Secretary, including logistics and provisions.

The position of Chief Clerk of the Military Command is not of high rank, but it wields great power.

Ouyang Rong happened to be nearby; he was the Prefect of Jiangzhou, and his reputation was widespread, with outstanding political achievements.

The pro-Li faction, led by the Master and the Prince, naturally wanted to fight for him, since the most important position of Grand Commander of the Army had been taken by the Wei family with their merits, and they wanted to try their best to get a share of the pie.

However, according to Hu Fu, this proposal came the day after Ouyang Rong was praised by Zhu Lingxu in a memorial.

Prince Liang, Wei Sixing, objected, arguing that someone needed to recuse themselves. The Empress, on the other hand, shelved the case and has not yet responded.

Soon after, Wei Jisi recommended a senior military officer surnamed Lu, who had married a woman from the Wei family and was qualified enough, to serve as the chief clerk of the military affairs department.

Not long after, the Emperor granted his request.

The Wei family easily kicked Ouyang Rong out of the game.

Want to get something for free and a slice of the pie? No way.

Last night, during a discussion in the study, Li Guo'er jokingly suggested, "Ouyang Lianghan, why don't you go ask the Wei family if they need any more sons-in-law?" Naturally, the noble lady Xie, sitting opposite her, threw a pear at her, and the two beauties bickered for a while.

Ouyang Rong shook his head.

The sun outside was approaching noon. At the war preparedness meeting, everyone discussed some important matters.

After a short while, we took a break to drink tea.

Wang Lengran put down his teacup and took the lead in bowing and saying:

"I am grateful to Chief Steward Zhu for his hard work in managing the vanguard. I and all the officials of Jiangzhou will certainly cooperate wholeheartedly to live up to the expectations of His Majesty, Prince Wei, and Prince Xunyang."

The presiding official led the way with empty platitudes, leaving the other Jiangzhou officials present with no choice but to stand up and clasp their hands in greeting.

Ouyang Rong remained silent and gave a slight bow.

Zhu Lingxu immediately lifted his buttocks slightly off the stool, waved his hands, and then gestured to support everyone from a distance:

"Please, everyone, have a seat. Hey, Lord Wang and Chief Secretary Ouyang, you're too kind. Those traitors Li and Cai are rampant, stealing the southwest and daring to covet the throne. They're on their way to their deaths. This concerns His Majesty's dignity and the fate of the Great Zhou Dynasty. We have an inescapable duty to do this. There's no need to talk about hardship."

He then turned to Li Xian, who sat high in the main seat of the hall, a man of gentle and taciturn demeanor, and said with a serious expression:

"This campaign is fraught with difficulties and dangers. I am incompetent and cannot accompany Your Highness for long. I would be grateful if Your Highness would stay in Xunyang City for a while longer and await further news."

"Once I have recaptured Hongzhou City and wiped out the remaining rebels, I will immediately welcome Your Highness to Hongzhou to comfort the eagerly awaiting soldiers and civilians of Hongzhou."

"At the same time, we also welcome His Highness Prince Wei to the front lines soon, hoping for a successful start."

"Okay." Li Xian nodded with a smile.

Hearing Zhu Lingxu's somewhat confident tone, Ouyang Rong glanced at the Governor of Hongzhou without making a sound.

He had known Zhu Lingxu for a while now.

The assessment is that he's a cunning old fox, never acting until he sees a clear benefit.

They actually dare to boast in public that they can take back Hongzhou!

It seems that he has indeed made relatively thorough preparations. Perhaps there are many of his spies and informants in Hongzhou City, and the pawns he planted before his defection were all for this day, the day that the Wei family may have secretly promised.

Indeed, after all, he had served as the governor of Hongzhou for several years. He probably knew the terrain and defense weaknesses of Hongzhou by heart, even better than he knew his wife when they went back to their own bed. They were like an old married couple.

Not to mention, Zhu Lingxu had always been known for his skill in military strategy.

Therefore, such old foxes only dare to make such statements after countless deductions and when they are 90% certain.

Facing an enemy as steady as an old dog.

Ouyang Rong frowned slightly.

He turned his head and glanced at Wang Lengran and Zhu Lingxu, who were exchanging knowing glances.

Currently, the imperial court and the entire nation are focused on the upcoming battle of Hongzhou.

This battle was a proactive attack, and the balance of power shifted from offense to defense.

Compared to the previous Battle of Guling, the Battle of Hongzhou was of greater significance.

If Zhu Lingxu and his son successfully recapture Hongzhou, it will indeed be a great start for the King of Wei and his expeditionary army in their upcoming battle against Li Zhengyan's restoration army in the southwest.

The Empress, who spent a fortune to buy a horse's bones, would certainly bestow a generous reward upon her.

The opportunity that the Wei family bestowed upon Zhu Lingxu and his son was truly immense.

No wonder that before the King of Wei, who was the Grand Commander of the Jiangzhou Road Army, even arrived, he quickly ordered the vanguard to be assembled and set off ahead of schedule.

Of course, people are enthusiastic when a cake is delivered right to their mouths.

"Your Highness, with everyone working together, how can we not recover the lost territories of our Great Zhou?"

Zhu Lingxu glanced around, his gaze seemingly ignoring the unassuming Ouyang Rong. He sighed with satisfaction, then politely clasped his hands in a fist salute to the aloof Rong Zhen:

"The upcoming campaign may require your assistance, Lady Historian. Please be understanding."

Rong Zhen remained expressionless, neither nodding nor speaking.

They were being rather disrespectful.

Or rather, she doesn't need to give face to anyone except the Empress.

"Haha, with Your Excellency here, I can rest assured."

Zhu Lingxu nodded with a smile, breaking the awkward silence, but inwardly he frowned slightly, somewhat unsure of this woman.

However, this woman didn't seem like the type to meddle in other people's business, unlike someone surnamed Ouyang, so he didn't care too much.

So be it, Zhu Lingxu is just a military supervisor. Anyway, he doesn't do anything rebellious or wrong. He tolerated Ouyang Lianghan's provocations and insults before and kept his subordinates in check.

As it turns out, opportunity favors those who are patient and prepared.

This is what is meant by "a light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains".

Zhu Lingxu smiled faintly and stroked his beard.

Soon after the tea break, everyone resumed discussing the matters concerning the vanguard's expedition.

This time, Zhu Lingxu was ordered to organize the vanguard army, which totaled more than 8,000 men.

These included the three thousand elite troops originally led by Wang Lengran, two thousand defeated soldiers from the Battle of Guling and surrendered soldiers from Hongzhou, and three thousand reinforcements from the three southeastern prefectures that had arrived in recent days.

The 8,000 soldiers were all elite men from good families, making it the largest regular army in Jiangnan Province.

Li Zhengyan's restoration army in Guizhou was still in the southwest, having only recently entered Jiangnan Circuit, and was conquering cities and territories along the way.

The defeat in the Jiangzhou campaign has spread throughout Jiangnan and Lingnan, subtly increasing resistance in many places and slightly hindering the advance of the Kuangfu Army.

The main force of the Kuangfu Army is expected to arrive in Hongzhou in about half a month, but it is also possible that a vanguard has already been dispatched to Hongzhou to provide support. However, the vanguard is not the main force.

Therefore, this is indeed a rare opportunity, as the 8,000 elite troops in Jiangzhou have a numerical advantage.

However, despite having the advantage, Zhu Lingxu maintained a serious demeanor, overseeing the operation, assigning tasks, and making careful arrangements.

Ouyang Rong listened intently for a while, then couldn't help but glance at him again.

He discovered that Zhu Lingxu, though an old fox, was indeed quite capable, unlike Wang Lengran, who was just a half-baked expert.

"By the way, Steward Zhu, I have something I'd like to ask, but I'm not sure if I should."

Li Xian put down his teacup and suddenly spoke.

Apart from Ouyang Rong, everyone in the hall looked on curiously.

Zhu Lingxu immediately said, "Of course I should speak, Your Highness, please speak." He shrugged.

"Has the vanguard commander, who will be dispatched ahead of time to scout ahead, not yet been decided?"

"Yes." Zhu Lingxu nodded subconsciously, then asked casually, "Does Your Highness have a suitable candidate?"

During a brief pause in his speech after hearing the news, he glanced at Ouyang Rong not far away, who was calmly sipping his tea with his head down.

Li Xian nodded and smiled sheepishly:

"In my opinion, Qin Heng, the brave and resolute captain of Jiangzhou Zhechong Prefecture, is quite good and a reliable young general."

Upon hearing the name, Wang Lengran, who had been curious just moments before, twitched violently at the corner of his eye and stared at Ouyang Rong with wide eyes. After a moment, he turned his head and snorted coldly.

If Li Xianzai hadn't been there, he would have had to give someone a proper greeting.

"Oh, this person must be a genius, otherwise His Highness would have taken the initiative to recommend him..."

Zhu Lingxu nodded, pondered for a moment, and then Wang Lengran coughed. Zhu Lingxu didn't look at him, but his eyes showed a hint of apology as he said to Li Xianjing:

"Your Highness, the vanguard is involved in a major campaign. I must return and discuss it thoroughly before giving a reply."

Li Xian nodded, and shortly after, the meeting ended.

The meeting resumed the next day, and Zhu Lingxu immediately gave his reply, looking troubled:

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but the position of vanguard has been assigned to my son by the Prince of Wei. The Prince of Wei said that my son is from Hongzhou and is familiar with the terrain there, making him the most suitable person to serve as the vanguard guide."

Everyone turned to look.

Anyone with eyes can see that it's just an excuse.

Yesterday you said there were no arrangements, and today you're bringing up the King of Wei. He's probably still in Guanzhong, thousands of miles away. How could the appointment news come so quickly?

It's full of loopholes, and they're too lazy to even come up with excuses.

They just don't want to share the cake.

Some things are better left unasked about than asked.

"Alright." Li Xian nodded, a hint of disappointment on his face.

Ouyang Rong also sighed softly.

This attracted a cold glance from Wang Lengran, who was standing nearby.

Seeing his expressionless face, Wang Lengran felt a little smug.

Little did they know, someone was already having doubts in their mind:

"The Governor of Hongzhou isn't enough, are we going to appoint another Commander-in-Chief of the Vanguard Army? His rank is getting higher and higher, it's a little embarrassing..."

A short while later, the meeting ended. Zhu Lingxu, who was still very disciplined and had only brought ten personal guards into the city to discuss the matter, stopped at the gate and smiled as he saw everyone off.

Even though the defenses of Jiangzhou have now been handed over to Zhu Lingxu under wartime conditions, he can replace the defense teams and change the rules at any time.

I don't know if he forgot or did it on purpose.

At the east and west city gates, Zhu Lingxu did not touch the personnel and rules originally arranged by Ouyang Rong and Jiangzhou's main hall; everything remained the same.

It seemed like humility and respect, but it also felt more like... disdain and sarcasm.

Wang Lengran walked over and talked to Zhu Lingxu at the door.

As Ouyang Rong walked down the corridor, he faintly heard Wang Lengran's words behind him:

"The King of Wei heard that Brother Lingxu was being harassed by petty people and was only allowed to bring ten men into the city each day. His Highness was worried about Brother Lingxu's safety and specially sent some experts to protect him. Li Li brought his men over today..."

He glanced back, and Zhu Lingxu, without looking at him, nodded gratefully. Wang Lengran turned around at that moment and glanced at him.

The two stared at each other from a distance. Wang smiled coldly and waved his hand at Ouyang Rong, as if to explain with innocent eyes that the "little man" he had just mentioned was not referring to him.

But who exactly are they trying to protect against? Is there even a question?

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly.

Okay, okay, fine, we won't include him when cutting the cake.

Even gentlemen are wary now, right?

"Why."

It is not easy to be a gentleman; Lianghan sighs with regret.

He left alone.

Happy New December! Wishing everyone all the best~ *cough* It would be even better if I could vote for Junzi at the beginning of the month, or2 (longingly)

(End of this chapter)