Chapter 135 Asking Consort An: Cheng Yexing brought the enemy's armory and provisions...
It's true that Cheng Yexing burned the enemy's armory and grain supplies, but this thoroughly enraged the rebels. He understood that the rebels knew the longer the conflict dragged on, the worse it would be for them, so they wanted to take Xining as soon as possible, otherwise things would be disastrous once the imperial reinforcements arrived. Therefore, in the past few days, the enemy's siege of the city had been like a flood.
Cheng Yexing stood on the city wall, looked down at the dense mass of enemies below, spat, and took a basin of hot water that was brought to him, pouring it directly over the heads of those climbing the ladders. Instantly, cries of agony rose and fell from both sides of the city wall. But even so, the bastards outside did not retreat, continuing to climb the ladders like vines.
"Grandma!" Cheng Yexing cursed angrily, picked up his red-tasseled spear and thrust it downwards. Just as he was killing the enemy, the city wall gate below suddenly trembled, probably because the enemy was ramming the gate.
He was taken aback for a moment, but quickly realized it wasn't his concern, so he continued selecting men. A while later, he took a deep breath and looked into the distance, only to see the opposing camp retreating to the east and west, and soon a series of vehicles appeared, heading this way.
No, didn't he blow up all the artillery fire?
Cheng Yexing thought this to himself, but he quickly realized what it was. The next second, in his vision, countless stones rained down from the sky like hail.
The siege lasted from morning till night, but fortunately, Xining City remained unscathed. Cheng Yexing walked unsteadily towards the city defense post, and upon entering, he saw that his colleagues were all wounded. He grinned and touched the injury on his head. This was from being cut by rubble; if he hadn't reacted quickly, his head would definitely have been smashed open.
Before long, the general entered and immediately brought them good news: "The general's army is already thirty miles away." Everyone perked up at the news. The general continued, "The scouts just reported that the general has ordered us to hold Xining. The army will split into two groups to encircle and surround the rebel army."
Cheng Yexing clenched his fist: Then it will be their turn to beat a dog when it's down!
That night, the rebel offensive resumed. The night was dark and windy, making it impossible to see how many people were outside; all that could be seen were swarms of people crawling up like ants. Cheng Yexing brandished his sword and fought them, his eyes bloodshot with rage. He didn't know how much time had passed when someone shouted, "The General's reinforcements have arrived!"
Cheng Yexing first slashed at the man who lunged at him, then shook the blood off the blade before smelling the pervasive stench of blood. He immediately ordered, "Squads three and four, continue guarding. The rest of you, come down with me."
He led about a hundred men down from the city wall, and soon more than a thousand men had gathered at the city gate. The leading adjutant shouted, "Open the city gate! Kill!" Cheng Yexing raised his hand high and echoed, "Kill!"
The situation reversed instantly with the arrival of reinforcements. The rebels were surrounded and killed, most of them were killed or captured, leaving only a few small groups scattered.
It was broad daylight. Cheng Yexing sat around the fire with his men, warming themselves. Of his original two hundred or so men, only half remained alive. He broke off a handful of flatbread and threw it into the pot to boil. Once the water was boiling, he said to those around him, "Share this, have something hot." He then ladled himself a bowl of boiled flatbread soup and slurped it down. With the warmth in his stomach, his mind began to work. He figured they probably wouldn't be needed anymore to hunt down the rebel leader. Then he started thinking about how much merit he could gain in this battle, and whether he could earn a noble title.
Cheng Yexing grinned, but unfortunately his lips were stained with blood, and he tasted the metallic flavor as soon as he smiled. He quickly spat it out twice.
Before long, a soldier ran over and said, "Commander, the General requests your presence." Upon hearing the Fourteenth Prince's summons, Cheng Yexing immediately stood up and said, "Let's go."
When Cheng Yexing entered, only the Fourteenth Prince was in the tent. He immediately bowed and said, "This humble general greets the Great General."
The Fourteenth Prince raised his hand to wake him, glancing at the gauze wrapped around his head. He hadn't expected the Consort's family to produce someone so fearless and skilled in combat; it was truly rare. He already knew what Cheng Yexing had done; his military achievements were at least worthy of a noble title. He smiled and praised, "Commander Cheng, you are truly capable. If you hadn't blown up the rebels' armory, Xining City might not have been saved."
Cheng Yexing quickly replied, "General, you flatter me. This servant truly dares not claim credit."
The Fourteenth Prince invited him to sit down and immediately said, "I called you here for two reasons: first, to inquire about the terrain of this place, and second, because we have won a great victory in this battle and defeated the enemy army. We should report this to the Emperor." After a while, the Fourteenth Prince added, "You were promoted by the Emperor himself. When you return, write a memorial and send it back to the capital."
Cheng Yexing replied with a "Yes." Back in his tent, he began to write down the situation in detail. At the end, he slowly put down his pen, thought for a long time, and then decided to add a sentence: "This servant inquires after the Imperial Noble Consort Yi's well-being."
——
This year, Yinreng decreed that the celebrations for the Golden Offering Festival and the New Year be simplified, so the palace wasn't very lively. Cheng Qianyue understood that this was because he was concerned about the war outside. In fact, not only him, but Cheng Qianyue herself was also worried about what was happening outside. However, she couldn't do anything to help except wait for news, which made her even more anxious. But thinking that it was the Fourteenth Prince who was going to provide support, she took the opportunity of the New Year to generously reward the Fourteenth Prince's wife. Then, the Fourteenth Prince's wife came to pay her respects today.
The Fourteenth Prince's wife seemed to be a very amiable person. After entering, she expressed her gratitude in a gentle voice: "We are grateful for His Majesty's high regard for our master, and we also thank the Noble Consort for her concern."
Cheng Qianyue felt a sense of shared misfortune: the Fourteenth Prince's husband was leading troops to Qinghai to provide support—what a coincidence, her brother was also in Qinghai. Sigh, both had relatives fighting abroad, so she felt a sense of kinship upon seeing the Fourteenth Prince, and said gently, "Our relatives are sharing the Emperor's burdens; we shouldn't hold them back." She then inquired, "How are things at home?"
The Fourteenth Prince's wife quickly replied, "Thanks to your blessing, everything in the household is peaceful."
Cheng Qianyue nodded and said, "That's good, that's good." After asking about these things, she didn't know what to say for a moment.
The Fourteenth Princess Consort knew that the Imperial Concubine's brother was also in Qinghai. The Imperial Concubine's concern for her stemmed from the Emperor's high regard for her brother and also from her hope that he would arrive in time. She said softly, "Your Highness, please don't worry. The army has been on its way for almost three months and should have reached Qinghai by now. I estimate that the rebels won't be able to stay there for long."
Cheng Qianyue couldn't help but sigh, and when she looked up again, she saw a hint of worry on the face of the Fourteenth Princess Consort. The two looked at each other and then smiled with a hint of sorrow.
Cheng Qianyue dismissed the servants and asked the Fourteenth Princess Consort to sit next to her. Intending to have something private to say, she asked softly, "Are you scared?"
The Fourteenth Princess bit her lip and nodded, but quickly shook her head again. Cheng Qianyue took her hand and patted it, saying frankly, "Actually, I'm a little scared too. To be honest, I only have one brother. He's been in Qinghai for four years now, and I don't know if he can come back safely."
The Fourteenth Prince's wife deeply shared this concern. Take herself for example; although her husband had been stationed at the Miyun camp for several years, this was his first time leading troops into battle. Moreover, this was a long-distance raid—how could she not be worried? Besides worrying about him, she had other concerns as well. Alas, this was the new emperor's first battle since his ascension to the throne; if they lost, wouldn't that be a disgrace to the emperor?
Perhaps it was because the atmosphere in Yongshou Palace was too gentle, or perhaps it was because the Consort's attitude was too approachable, that the Fourteenth Princess loosened her tongue and said, "To be honest, I also feel uneasy. I can't fall asleep at all without chanting Buddhist scriptures for a while every night."
Cheng Qianyue agreed, pulling the Fourteenth Prince's wife to the inner Buddhist shrine to offer incense. Cheng Qianyue had just risen from before the Buddha statue, murmuring prayers for Buddha's blessing, when Ruoxia entered from outside, saying, "Your Majesty, the Emperor requests your presence at the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
"Huh? Now?" Cheng Qianyue was taken aback. Then she thought, could it be that there was news about the war outside? She wanted to go outside, but she stopped after taking two steps. The Fourteenth Prince's wife was still here. She couldn't leave the Fourteenth Prince's wife here.
The Fourteenth Prince's wife immediately said, "Before our master left, he specifically instructed me to visit my mother often to pay my respects."
Cheng Qianyue realized what was happening and said, "Alright." She then instructed someone to escort the Fourteenth Prince's wife to Yonghe Palace to visit the Dowager Consort De, while she herself went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. As soon as she reached the back hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she saw Yinreng beaming with a smile. Relieved, she went over and asked, "Your Highness, has good news come from Qinghai?"
Yinreng nodded heavily: "This time, the fourteenth prince defeated the combined forces of the Khoshut tribe and the Dzungars." He then handed her a memorial, "This was written by Cheng Yexing himself. Take a look."
Was it a memorial written back by her brother?
Cheng Qianyue was overjoyed; that meant her brother was still alive! Oh, thank goodness! She took the document and skimmed through it, but as she read, her brows furrowed.
Seeing her expression change repeatedly, Yinreng asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Cheng Qianyue pursed her lips, unsure how to speak. The preceding text was entirely about military and political affairs, including when the tribes in Qinghai rebelled, how many sieges they launched, Cheng Yexing's role in it, and how the two armies clashed after the Fourteenth Prince's arrival—a long, detailed account. She was extremely surprised, even suspecting that her brother had been possessed. No, was the person who could defend, launch surprise attacks, and then bravely fight the enemy when reinforcements arrived really her brother?
Seeing her frowning as she read the memorial, Yinreng wondered if she was frightened by what was described in it. He patted her shoulder and said, "What are you thinking about? You seem so engrossed."
Cheng Qianyue stammered, "I wasn't thinking about anything, I was just surprised by all the things that happened in Qinghai. Also, it seems like my brother has done a lot of good deeds." To be honest, she found it hard to accept. It wasn't that she was unhappy about her brother's abilities, but rather that he was simply too capable. She just couldn't reconcile the Cheng Yexing of today with the brother who used to lead her in fights with the local bullies and buy her candied hawthorns.
Yinreng laughed and said, "This proves that I didn't misjudge him." If Cheng Yexing had no ability at all, then all those years of serving as his bodyguard would have been for nothing. However, Cheng Yexing's actions in Qinghai were indeed commendable.
Cheng Qianyue continued reading. After the war account was finished, it was time to express loyalty. There was nothing else written except for the last sentence, "This servant inquires after the Imperial Noble Consort Yi's well-being."
Just this one sentence? That's it?
Cheng Qianyue flipped through the entire folded document, but found nothing else. She felt a surge of frustration. "You should at least tell me if you're injured," she thought, "Why did you just ask how I was doing and then leave it at that? But you can still write letters, so you should be... probably... maybe... fine..."
Yinreng put his arm around her shoulder and said, "The allied forces suffered a great defeat, the rebel leader fled, and things need to be settled in Qinghai. The army won't be back for a while. But I have already issued an edict to transfer Cheng Yexing back to the capital once Qinghai is stabilized." He paused and continued, "I have already ordered the Ministry of War to reward those who have contributed to this war."
Cheng Qianyue looked up at him. Yinreng smiled gently, "I'm thinking of bestowing a title upon Cheng Yexing. Firstly, he has rendered meritorious service in the war, and secondly, with a title, we can request an imperial decree, which will make it easier for you to summon your family to the palace to visit him."
Cheng Qianyue was stunned for a moment, feeling that Yinreng was really too good to their family. What should they do in this situation? Cheng Qianyue was already very familiar with how to handle it, so she stood up and bowed, saying, "On behalf of my family, I thank Your Majesty for your great kindness."
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