Chapter 44: Raising an Army to March South
Ren Heng inside the canopy was puzzled, while Ren Heng below the canopy remained motionless.
Ren Duan looked cautiously at his father: "Dad, don't be angry..."
Ren Heng was silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up, slapped Ren Duan on the shoulder, and said with a voice full of satisfaction, "Good son! Your judgment is still better than your father's!"
Ren Duan: ...Huh?
When Ren Heng came to join us, everyone was initially secretive. They thought that since Lord Ren was a loyal minister of the late emperor, we should give him some mental preparation before we rebelled, and proceed step by step.
The next day, during the routine meeting, Ren Heng walked in and his first question was: When are we going to storm into the capital?
Everyone was stunned, thinking Ren Heng was still half asleep, and stammered, not daring to speak. Then Ren Heng immediately raised a second question: Instead of storming into the capital, should we go and capture the Crown Prince first? That's fine, but after all, he's a descendant of the late emperor. Shouldn't we spare his life?
Everyone was stunned, staring at Ren Heng talking to himself in the middle, completely at a loss for words.
Emperor Hong'an stroked his long beard and said quietly, "He does change quickly."
Lord Ren is capable of changing his expression.
Ren Heng was not ashamed, but rather proud.
Fang Jingruo praised him highly, feeling that Lord Ren was indeed insightful.
Shen Mingzhe: "..." He always felt that this kid surnamed Fang was targeting him.
Who is Ren Heng? He is a resolute and renowned Minister, a confidant of Emperor Hong'an, and a loyal general who has guarded the frontier for over a decade!
As Tianmu recited this long string of words with a resounding voice, Ren Heng immediately felt triumphant.
What dark history? I don't remember. Listen to this, this is the normal way to praise him!
[He may be a bit slow-witted and dull, but his status in the underworld is top-notch!]
Ren Heng's smile vanished.
If you can't speak properly, then don't speak at all.
Ren Heng's arrival did not bring Emperor Zhongzong a particularly brave and skilled general. Having been away from the battlefield for so many years, Ren Heng had gained considerable weight; if he were to actually ride into battle, he might crush the horse.
Zhou She couldn't help but recall the image of Lord Ren Heng.
He seemed somewhat easygoing and plump, but Tianmu was far too sarcastic. This was also the style of later generations, who could criticize anyone and then poison themselves with their own words.
"Send Minister Ren a bowl of ginseng tea." Emperor Hong'an couldn't help but chuckle. "Tell him to eat less, lest he lose the prestige of my Ning Dynasty's fierce general."
The young eunuch hurriedly left carrying a food box. Ren Heng was moved to tears upon receiving the ginseng tea, but we won't go into details. Then, another group of people approached from a distance.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty."
Two overlapping voices rang out, indicating that the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince had arrived at the same time.
The two men stepped forward respectfully to greet each other, but when they glanced at Zhou She standing to the side, their expressions changed slightly.
"Hmm." The emperor nodded lightly. "You've had a good time these past few days, and you've even gained some weight."
The third and fourth princes lowered their heads and explained, "Your subject has been studying diligently at home and hasn't been moving around much..." Judging from their tone, the visitor was up to no good!
The emperor remained noncommittal, but the heavens continued to speak:
Did Emperor Zhongzong lack talent? Absolutely. The more talent the better; he needed many workers. Ren Heng served as this bridge.
Although our impression of him in later generations is limited to nonsensical things like "a fierce general of the Ning Dynasty accidentally fell off his horse" and "proclaimed himself the emperor's most beloved minister", Ren Heng was actually a veteran figure.
Thus, news of his defection to Emperor Jungjong spread, and talented individuals from all over flocked to him, creating a gathering of exceptional individuals.
Third Prince & Fourth Prince: Hehe.
So, is it really necessary to make them face Zhou She and see his future glorious achievements?
Will his rebellion become a reality?
Looking at Zhou She's face makes me feel nauseous.
The Ren family has perfectly integrated into Emperor Zhongzong's rebel group. The aura of loyalty to the late emperor is still in effect, and people come to serve them every day.
Then one day, perhaps because Ren Heng's aura seemed to have reached a strange place, someone no one expected sent an envoy with a pledge of good faith.
This tribe was called Xigui, which also signifies their desire to submit.
Younger people may not recognize the name.
But Ren Heng remembered.
Back then, Xigui colluded with the Northern Di and other tribes to raid the border. He fought with Xigui and was furious. He still gets angry when he thinks about it now.
Ren Heng straightened up dramatically, recalling his youthful vigor: "What surrender?! If we're going to fight, we'll fight to the bitter end! Do you think we're short of a few hundred men?!"
Ren Duan tried to dissuade him: "Father, back then, Emperor Taizong embraced all rivers and streams, even accepting foreign tribes. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ren Heng suddenly turned his head and poked his son's forehead with his finger: "You don't know anything!"
The reason is actually quite simple: the Western Gui were no match for the Northern Di and were being driven further and further away, so they came up with a good idea.
Hey, if I can't beat you, I'll go find your enemy. And the enemy of my enemy is my friend, isn't it?
There were also conflicts on the northern grasslands. Xigui was the one who lost the battle, and his tribal power gradually shrank until now it numbered only a few hundred people, who were holed up in the northwest.
All middle-aged men who had served as garrison commanders still remember that Xigui was no pushover. Even though he was later repelled by the Ning Dynasty and his territory was seized by the Northern Di, it didn't mean that the two sides could shake hands and make peace.
Upon hearing this, Ren Heng immediately launched into a tirade of profanities, spewing vulgarities at Ren Duan's face, clearly mistaking Ren Duan for the imagined figure of Xi Gui.
First of all, let me say this: we're all one family. Ethnic conflicts are temporary. Let's hold hands and be united (heart emoji).
Then there's the Xigui tribe. The Xigui tribe had been wandering the borders for a long time, and suddenly they sent a letter saying they wanted to surrender. King Jungjong hesitated for once. The envoy had been imprisoned in his residence for a long time.
Cheng Zhuoran hesitated and asked, "Could it be that he really accepted Xigui?"
From a personal perspective, he finds it hard to accept. From a broader perspective...
Even harder to accept.
Zhuang Ziqian had already tacitly accepted that he was on Zhongzong's side, but at this moment he couldn't help but defend Zhongzong, saying, "Zhongzong shouldn't be that kind of person."
After all, Xigui is an old enemy, and even if they retreat to one place, it doesn't mean they have truly turned over a new leaf.
"Hehe." Cheng Zhuoran glanced sideways, letting out a laugh that was anything but genuine. "Lord Zhuang knows a great deal about Emperor Zhongzong."
In this matter, Emperor Zhongzong felt that he could not make the decision directly, so he summoned Marquis Zhen'an Zhuang Ziqian and Ren Heng—although he did not resign, he had already fled, and the position of Minister of War was considered to have been automatically relinquished.
He said to the two elderly people, "I have something I need your opinions on."
The sky swayed up and down.
The inner hall was simply furnished, with a large map hanging on the far wall and a sand table casually placed in the center. King Jungjong asked seriously, "Do you two have any recollection of the westward return?"
The two looked at each other in bewilderment.
Ren Heng considered various possibilities. He felt that Emperor Zhongzong wanted to send troops to suppress Xigui, but he did not agree with it: "Although Xigui is treacherous and cunning, the focus now is on pacifying the country, and it is not suitable to send troops north."
Zhuang Ziqian, however, understood Emperor Zhongzong better and vaguely felt that it had nothing to do with this. He only offered an explanation without expressing his opinion: "During Emperor Taizong's reign, there were often conflicts with the Western Barbarians. Although the Western Barbarians were not good people, they still had several hundred cavalrymen, but their numbers were too small and their fighting strength could not compare with that of the Northern Barbarians."
Emperor Zhongzong understood. He looked at the sand table, where the location marked for the westward return was neither close nor far from the northern frontier.
"Xi Gui wants to submit." Emperor Zhongzong said solemnly, "In that case, I will refuse. Mu Zhi, Ding Yuan, there are many people and many things to deal with now, so I will entrust the task of arranging the newcomers to you."
Since the two men officially joined King Jungjong's camp, he stopped using the honorifics he used before and started addressing them by their courtesy names, to show their closeness and to indicate their respective status.
The other three who raised troops at the same time have all declared themselves kings, and even Zhang Ping, who gathered the last troops, proclaimed himself king. According to common sense, Emperor Zhongzong should have declared himself king long ago.
But he seemed uninterested in this matter, and only occasionally could one see a hint of his ambition to conquer the world. Most of the time, he seemed no different from before.
Ren Heng accepted this readily, but he grasped the key point: "They want to submit?!"
Emperor Zhongzong calmly replied, "That's right."
Under Zhuang Ziqian's shocked gaze, he slammed his fist on the table, furious: "What kind of pipe dream are they having! They come and go as they please, treating our Ning Dynasty like a latrine?"
Ignoring their silence, Ren Heng immediately changed his tune, saying, "Sir, you can agree to their request, but I want to see what they're really up to!"
Emperor Zhongzong: "..."
Zhuang Ziqian: "..."
You didn't say that just now.
But Emperor Jungjong quickly agreed: "Since you insist on going, you can scout the route. There's one more thing I need to remind you of..."
Ren Heng solemnly replied, "Don't worry, sir. I also led troops back then, and I will protect the soldiers."
"I trust you, this is not a problem," Emperor Zhongzong said quietly. "I've heard that the cavalry returning west are of excellent quality. Since you're going, no matter what happens, bring me back as many good horses as possible."
Qingzhou produces horses, and there's even a horse farm. Under his management, it has grown quite large and can supply the current number of cavalry.
But as the old saying goes, what you can't have is always the best, and he really wanted to know just how good the horse that was returning west was.
King Jungjong verbally agreed to the proposal of returning west and submitting to the Western Regions, and sent Im Heng with a thousand men to meet with him. He himself led his troops south to formally participate in the competition.
Of course, given the current instability of the realm, he did not directly declare that he would also rebel. Instead, he invoked the name of the late emperor, saying that he had received the emperor's favor and that he could not bear to see the emperor's body still warm while the realm was in chaos. Therefore, he had no choice but to raise an army to quell the unrest.
Emperor Hong'an was truly a useful tool; he was useful whether alive or dead, and everyone who came would have to borrow his services.
Emperor Hong'an: "..."
The fourth prince seized the opportunity and chuckled, "Nephew, if you want to be 'Zhou Ping,' just say so."
They act like nobody understands.
"某凭" was used as an adjective.
Zhou She was greatly alarmed and immediately began his performance: "Your Majesty's kindness is truly deeply appreciated and remembered by me at all times. If Your Highness were not unwell, I would not have had to step forward..."
Add a few sincere glances, and the effect is outstanding.
The fourth prince was so angry at his words "I am unwell" that he almost fainted. He wanted to ask him: Who is to blame for my unwellness?
The group of eunuchs and servants surrounding the emperor could hardly contain their laughter as they listened to their heated argument.
Although Lord Zhou was not in officialdom before, he has mastered all the disgusting tricks.
Zhuang Ziqian led his troops to guard Mingyuan Pass, while a portion of the patrol army marched south. Initially, everything went smoothly; the patrol army treated the people with impunity and maintained strict discipline. After the city fell, the people were initially worried, but their experience was excellent, and they welcomed the next raid. In short, both the army and the people were happy.
The civil and military officials also chose to surrender immediately—it doesn't matter who they surrender to, Lord Zhou, we really have high hopes for you.
The people breathed a sigh of relief.
But does such an army really exist? Although everyone knows that the patrol army has good benefits, every little bit helps, and those military commanders also like to confiscate property.
Although they had some doubts, it was a good thing after all, so they didn't delve into it.
The faces of the local high-ranking officials turned pale.
What people pursue is integrity and moral character. What does it mean to say "it doesn't matter who you support?"? This Tianmu is increasingly fond of talking nonsense, which is simply an insult to the integrity of scholars!
The army advanced with unstoppable momentum, until it was about to enter the Suzhou area when it was blocked.
He Jingcheng's territory bordered Suzhou. When Emperor Zhongzong arrived at the border, he personally wrote a letter to persuade He Jingcheng to surrender. Although the letter lacked sincerity, it successfully enraged He Jingcheng, who then dispatched his eldest son, He Siqi, with troops to attack.
Before leaving, he earnestly instructed: "Zhou She's grandson is in Xuanyang City. This battle must capture Xuanyang and take him prisoner. Then the northern lands will naturally belong to the He family!"
Although Tianmu didn't elaborate on what Zhongzong actually wrote, everyone could guess that it probably wasn't anything nice.
The fourth prince glanced at Zhou She silently, deeply understanding the situation.
Her mouth is full of poison; she loves to act and is disgusting.
Some people were very anxious, thinking about King Jungjong's situation: "Doesn't King Jungjong have many fierce generals under his command? Why is he leading troops himself? If he is really captured, the great cause will be in danger!"
They started discussing it briefly: "Have you forgotten what Tianmu said before, that Emperor Zhongzong likes to lead from the front?"
"That depends on the situation..."
"It's because his son can't lead troops, otherwise why don't they bring his son out and give him a try!"
Zhou Xin, who was only seven years old, had already been targeted by them.
He Siqi led 30,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry northward. When Emperor Zhongzong learned of this, he made preparations and began to wait for the enemy to tire themselves out.
First, south of Xuanyang lies Suzhou, which served as the enemy's main base, with two garrisons nearby.
So King Jungjong dispatched Zhuang Shi with troops to attack one of the cities, Anseong. Zhuang Shi arrived at Anseong and, as expected, easily captured the defending general, Jeong Hak. The general of the other city, upon hearing this news, panicked. "Good heavens! You've abandoned all martial ethics! What happened to the agreed-upon standoff? Why this sneak attack?"
Emperor Hong'an was very curious about who this foolish garrison commander was.
He had no recollection of Zheng He and didn't know whose son he was, as long as he wasn't someone Zheng He had promoted.
Zhou She almost laughed: This is war, not child's play. Who's going to talk to you about martial ethics?
So he hurriedly wrote a letter to He Siqi, who was still on his way, crying and pleading: Your Highness, come quickly! Zhou Bapi has already kidnapped Zheng He. We only have so many people, we can't hold on!
He Siqi was shocked, recalling his father's warning. Before seeing him off, He Jingcheng had told him that although Zhou Bapi was a scoundrel, he had guarded Mingyuan Pass for nearly ten years and was certainly more capable in warfare than he was. He added, "You are quite capable, but you must be extra careful. Remain calm and adaptable, and remember to listen to your seniors' commands!"
He Siqi remembered it, but everyone needs to improvise sometimes, so he started to operate it.
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