Chapter 4: The Dragon Guard General, a Second-Rank Official—A Truly Successful Man to Be Won Over…
“My family is Dai Quan, the chief eunuch of the Daming Palace.”
Dai Quan nodded slightly to Mu Chuan as a gesture of respect, then smiled and said, "General Mu, the Emperor has been waiting for a long time. Please, General."
Quan Furen clearly wanted to say something, but the retired emperor had the upper hand over the emperor, and Dai Quan also had the upper hand over him, so he said nothing.
Mu Chuan did sense a tense atmosphere, but it didn't concern him much.
Pingnan Town guards the vital southwest route with 40,000 elite troops. Add to that the supply troops, logistics, retired soldiers, their families, and the military and civilians who cultivate the land, and even 150,000 troops would not be enough to defeat them.
Of the 40,000 most elite soldiers, 10,000 were directly under Mu Chuan's command, while the rest shared a bond with him, having fought and bled alongside him.
In short, he wasn't the one who was nervous.
Mu Chuan bowed to Quan Furen and said, "Farewell, please don't see me off, sir."
Watching Mu Chuan and Dai Quan leave, Quan Furen sighed and turned back to the Imperial Study.
The emperor was annoyed. Although he and Mu Chuan had a pleasant conversation, he had forgotten to do something important: give Mu Chuan a courtesy name.
The emperor had thought of a few beforehand, such as the Hundred Rivers, which symbolizes continuous flow, and the river and the mountain complement each other.
There is also Wan Chong, which is taken from Wan Chong Mountain. It not only means continuous and unbroken, but also expresses the emperor's high regard for him.
In addition to the meaning of the character itself, General Mu was indeed a true disciple of the emperor.
The problem was that when the emperor sat down in the imperial study, he noticed that Mu Chuan was unusually robust, and immediately felt that the two words were not quite appropriate.
Once they started chatting and found they got along very well, the emperor completely forgot about the matter.
Looking back now, the emperor was both annoyed and pleased, for the relationship between the ruler and his ministers was genuine, which is why he wasn't so dogmatic.
So what's a good nickname for him?
The emperor was experiencing a bittersweet sadness when Eunuch Quan entered with a worried expression: "Your Majesty, Dai Quan has taken Lord Mu to the Daming Palace."
"What!" the emperor exclaimed, his face darkening.
He recalled Jiang Hanyi, the top scholar he had entrusted with an important task, who, after visiting the Daming Palace twice, became an advocate of "governing the country with filial piety".
There was also Shu Zhiyi from before, and Du Jiayin from the very beginning.
The Zuo Zhuan states, "The most important affairs of the state are military defense and sacrifices." The emperor felt that sacrifices should be postponed, and that the most important affairs were military defense and law.
filial piety?
The common people may think this way, but the emperor cannot even deceive himself.
The emperor sighed softly, "Let's see."
It's not that he has no supporters, it's just that over the years, the pillars he has chosen have always had their hands in the hands of the retired emperor.
Mu Chuan followed Dai Quan all the way to the Daming Palace.
Daming Palace was the residence of the retired emperor. The palace was magnificent and imposing, and the flowers, plants and trees in the courtyard were lush and thriving even in the capital in October.
The retired emperor was waiting in the main hall. As soon as Mu Chuan entered, he saw the withered old man sitting on the throne, who had difficulty sitting up straight, but was wearing a full set of dragon robes.
"Your Majesty the Emperor Emeritus." Mu Chuan stepped forward and bowed.
Although the retired emperor was on a high platform, Mu Chuan still had Dai Quan by his side for comparison.
Dai Quan was one of the most powerful eunuchs in the palace. To reach such a position, he was also a very handsome man. However, compared to Mu Chuan, Dai Quan looked like a little chick. Not to mention his lewd appearance, he was timid and hesitant, which made people feel uncomfortable.
"Take a seat," the retired emperor ordered.
Mu Chuan said, "I am fully armored. Please forgive my rudeness. I will answer while standing."
The retired emperor didn't care about this; he simply waved it off. There wasn't a single chair in his palace; they were all moved in on the spot. Anyone with eyes could see what that meant.
There were eunuchs in the army who served as military supervisors. Although they could not make decisions and were mostly well taken care of and treated as deaf and blind, they could still send back some information.
...tall and imposing, unlike any other person...
...Exceptionally brave, he was an army unto himself...
When the retired emperor met the real person, he realized that the eunuch had not lied.
"Having a general is a blessing for our Great Wei." The Emperor Emeritus smiled broadly.
"May Heaven bless Great Wei," Mu Chuan added.
The retired emperor suddenly sighed again and said, "Even though my son has been emperor for more than ten years, he is still... alas."
Mu Chuan pretended not to hear, which was a normal reaction. Who would dare to say something bad about the emperor in public?
The Emperor Emeritus continued, “You’ve just returned to the capital, and settling down will require money. Dai Quan, open the imperial treasury and take out ten thousand taels of gold. Also, find some antique ornaments, calligraphy and paintings, screens, as well as silks, satins, bedding, pillows, and so on. If you have any ready-made items, just bring them over.”
The Emperor just rewarded me with three thousand taels of gold, as well as some other items.
Compared to this, who cares what the retired emperor's purpose is? As long as he's generous, that's enough.
The Emperor Emeritus looked at Mu Chuan again and said sincerely, "Consider this a housewarming gift from me to the General."
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!" Mu Chuan was already in good health and had a strong voice, and he deliberately raised his voice a few notches, which pleased the Emperor Emeritus.
"My son bestows upon you the Marquis of Zhongyong's estate—"
The Emperor Emeritus paused, and Dai Quan continued, "It's in the north of the city, a five-courtyard house with a small garden, located a little south of the main hall of the Shuntian Prefecture."
The retired emperor frowned: "It's too shabby. A five-courtyard house is hardly enough for a first-class earl. This is also a matter of the court's reputation. Besides, even on ordinary days, when going to court, one has to walk through the Donghua Gate, which is seven or eight li away. This is not good."
The hall fell silent. The Emperor Emeritus deliberately pondered for a long time, thinking he had piqued Mu Chuan's interest, before continuing, "I remember there's a nice courtyard outside the Dong'an Gate?"
Dai Quan, playing the straight man, said, "If the Emperor remembers correctly, it was originally Princess Mingxiu's residence. It was at least four or five times larger than Your Majesty's. There was a theater, an ancestral hall, and a garden with running water. It had three sections: east, west, and central. In addition to the main house in the central section, there were seven courtyards, enough to accommodate four generations living together."
The Emperor Emeritus smiled and said, "Then this is it. Don't blame your son; he's had a tough time too."
This was a pleasant surprise. Although her tone and expression were a bit sullen, she was trying to win his favor, and all the gifts were for him.
Mu Chuan could understand why.
Commanding elite troops and generals, possessing outstanding personal image and abilities, and having risen from humble origins without forming factions, he was someone everyone wanted to win over. Mu Chuan suddenly felt that having a retired emperor was quite nice.
He sincerely thanked the Emperor for his grace: "May the Emperor Emeritus have boundless blessings and live a long life."
He quite liked the Emperor Emeritus's words of thanks. He laughed twice and suddenly announced loudly, "Mu Chuan, receive the imperial decree!"
Wearing heavy armor, you can't even kneel, let alone sit; heavy armor simply doesn't have that function.
Mu Chuan bowed respectfully and listened attentively with his head bowed.
"I hereby appoint you as the Grand General of the Dragon Guard. In a few days, you will come to the palace to serve. I want to see how you lead troops!"
Another "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."
The retired emperor was old, and in order to see Mu Chuan and to show his majesty, he changed into a full set of dragon robes. The dragon throne was hard and he could only sit upright. He was already exhausted, so he only gave Mu Chuan a few words of encouragement before ordering Dai Quan to see him out.
As Dai Quan saw Mu Chuan off from the palace, he explained to him, "The Dragon Guards are the guards of the Daming Palace. There are three hundred of them, all from noble families with a long history of learning and some skills in riding and archery. The Emperor wants you to come in a few days. I estimate you'll be here in about five days."
"Thank you for your guidance, sir." Mu Chuan cupped his hands in thanks.
Dai Quan was a little unaccustomed to this, after all, if it were someone else, they would have to slip them money at this time.
But who could blame him when he was at the height of his fame, was of humble origin and lacked experience, and had only just returned to the capital?
"General, why are you being so polite? The Grand General of the Imperial Guard is a powerful official of the second rank." Dai Quan flattered, "The position had been vacant until your return, which shows how much the Emperor values you."
Mu Chuan cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the Daming Palace: "Your Majesty's grace is beyond repayment."
"Just train him well. Let the Emperor see your loyalty."
Although Mu Chuan was wearing heavy armor, his legs were long and strong, and one step of his could almost take two steps of Dai Quan's. By the time they reached the Meridian Gate, it was Dai Quan who was tired.
"General, please wait a moment," Dai Quan instructed, then waved over the little eunuch who had been following them at a distance.
“This is my godson, named Mei Zheng. He’s the one who runs errands when you go to the Imperial Household Department to pick up things. If the general wants anything, he can also be ordered to do so. If the general wants to find him, just go to the North Gate.”
Mu Chuan said "okay." Although he didn't have much respect in his heart, he had to do his job properly, so he couldn't possibly be picky.
"How about we meet at the gate of the mansion bestowed upon us by the Emperor Emeritus at 9:00 AM the day after tomorrow? The things from the Imperial Household Department are naturally of the highest quality. Please trouble yourself to help me choose the best items."
Dai Quan smiled and agreed: "Then General, you should go back early. I heard that you set off before midnight yesterday and didn't sleep at all."
Mu Chuan said goodbye and headed towards the carriage not far away. The eunuch named Mei Zheng said, "Godfather, what do you want? I'll save some for you tomorrow and send it to your residence outside."
"Get lost!" Dai Quan kicked him, laughing and cursing, "If he's looking for something according to the standards of the upper class, even if we give him a little more, we'll make sure he knows how generous the Emperor is to his subordinates! Let me tell you, tell them to keep their mouths shut. Anyone who dares to reach out, I'll skin them alive!"
Mu Chuan had only taken two steps when five people jumped down from three carriages and came to meet him.
"General, you've had a hard time."
"Let me help you!"
"Put some dry food on your plate first, then you can have something hot when you get back."
"Drink some water first!"
"I've never seen you so attentive on ordinary days," Mu Chuan said with a smile, reaching under his armpits to unfasten the clasp. He then sat on the carriage shaft, holding up his breastplate and taking it off over his head.
His subordinate took the breastplate and then handed him the water pouch. Mu Chuan inhaled as he thought:
Earlier, he had asked General Li to arrange several houses in the capital. One was a five-courtyard house with east and west wings for himself, and there were also courtyards for his subordinates.
That's why everyone wants to buy an official position.
Ordinary people could only live in a house with three rooms and five bays, but he, as a first-class earl, could live in a large house with seven rooms and nine bays.
Mu Chuan gulped down several mouthfuls of water, pondering the few things he needed to do.
Revenge is the best revenge.
Get promoted, make a fortune, and get married.
Find a stable and secure job for your subordinates, regardless of drought or flood.
There was also trade with Southern Lebanon and Northern Lebanon.
To maintain control over those 10,000 elite troops, new soldiers need to be recruited, and arrangements must be made for the demobilized soldiers to make way for them.
We also want to develop a large, flourishing family.
The above rankings are in no particular order.
However, with so many complicated matters, we must first sort them out.
...Dragon Guard?
It seems that one of the Jia family's descendants donated money to become a Dragon Guard.
Mu Chuan said, "First, have the strategist write a letter and send it to the Rongguo Mansion, saying that I have a past relationship with Lord Lin Ruhai and would like to visit Miss Lin, and ask them when would be a good time."
The strategist wasn't really a strategist; he just had excellent handwriting and was in charge of all the documents in Mu Chuan's accounts. He also accompanied Mu Chuan back to the capital this time.
After resting for a moment, Mu Chuan kicked off the armor on his legs: "By the way, send that old set of armor to the palace for Eunuch Quan. Let's go to General Li's residence for dinner."
Just as Mu Chuan and his entourage were heading towards the newly established Dingnan Marquis's residence in three carriages, Jia Baoyu finally arrived home.
He was a little worried after seeing the triumphant return of the army in the morning, and with Xue Pan's deliberate flattery, he accidentally drank too much. Since there were indeed many people, he sent his servant back to inform him that he would wait until there were fewer people before returning, so as not to make things unsafe.
However, this delay dragged on until late afternoon.
Grandmother Jia was distracted, sighing and asking questions incessantly. Even those with good appetites dared not eat much, sharing the old lady's worries.
"Master Bao is back! Master Bao is back!"
The old woman at the second gate rushed in to report the good news, and a smile appeared on Grandmother Jia's face: "Quickly, quickly! Bring the food I left for him. He must not have eaten at this time. Children can't stand being hungry!"
A note from the author:
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