Good news and bad news
Knowing they would win the war, how many people fought tooth and nail for this "good job"? Even if it was just a way to relax outside the capital, it was good! Because the number of people was increased this time, in addition to those who went on the previous expedition, there were also many newcomers, and each of their eyes showed novelty and relief.
The veterans shook their heads: What a bunch of idiots!
When the veterans first entered the battlefield, their mindsets weren't much different from those of these fools. Having ruled the Celestial Empire for so long, they'd developed a sense of pride and arrogance that inevitably led to a sense of arrogance and lacked the necessary understanding of their own shortcomings. It wasn't until they spent a year or two in Qinghai and Tibet, and endured months of tense confrontations with the Zunghars, fighting several skirmishes without achieving significant gains, that they finally came to a clearer understanding: the enemy wasn't that weak after all. But when they returned to brag, even when they mentioned the difficult conditions, the ultimate victory overshadowed them.
Among the officers, the situation was essentially divided into the two aforementioned categories. Those who had participated in the previous war knew this one wouldn't be easy. This was especially true for the senior officers. The previous battle had been incredibly difficult, and this time, the enemy had even sent reinforcements—not a good sign.
Most of the new officers did not get the chance to make a fortune last time. Seeing that those who went to the battlefield were either promoted to higher positions, given titles for their wives and children, or had a glorious addition to their resumes and prospects for promotion, they were already jealous. They were more excited than others about the opportunity they got this time.
This time, Yarjiang'a was once again in charge. Yinreng had no interest in training a new generation of military commanders. He simply wanted the royal family to maintain their martial spirit. Aside from those born with natural talent like the Marquis of Guanjun, young commanders were a rare commodity! Yinreng's current focus was on the interior, not abroad. He needed to quell the external threat as quickly as possible so he could focus on resolving internal problems. He urgently desired to have someone with Yarjiang'a's experience take charge and resolve the situation safely.
Putting a young boy in command, and then assigning him numerous veterans to support him? Just to educate this kid? It would be too costly! Although Yinreng still sent Hongxi to serve as Yarjiang'a's deputy this time, he issued a strict order: Second Prince must not act on his own and must obey his uncle's instructions in all matters!
This is using seniority to suppress Hongxi.
Yaerjiang'a lived up to the emperor's grace, dispatching troops with great method. This time, with more men, he didn't dare divide his forces further, as the enemy's forces had also increased! He still divided his forces into three groups, each led by a prominent figure. This caused some of the royal family to express some dissatisfaction. They felt that since the number of men had increased, they could split them into two more groups, thus providing two more commanders. The leaders of these two groups would also be able to report more merits in the future.
They weren't the most depressed. Speaking of depression, the ones assigned to the rear were the most depressed. Aside from those who were just idling away their time, everyone else, no matter how relaxed they were, still harbored some aspirations of achievement, right? If you were assigned to the rear, charging in the back and fleeing in the front, what kind of achievements could you possibly achieve?
Mingxi is one of the members of the rear team.
Yarjiang'a had good intentions. Qingde was bound to the front, and his sons and nephews couldn't all be sent to dangerous places. So Qingde was sent to the front, and his sons were sent to the central army to accompany Hongxi. From the perspective of patriarchal law, Chong'an was Hongxi's legitimate cousin. Hongxi had always been quite polite to the Shi family. When the two met, it was a good opportunity to chat and relieve each other's worries.
As for Mingxi, Yaerjiang'e truly didn't want to be careless. He wasn't afraid of offending the Cheng'en family, but Mingxi was the future heir of the Shi family, and his political significance was significant. Yaerjiang'e couldn't take the risk. With a stroke of his pen, he tossed the boy into the grain protection team, a safe place in the rear.
Mingxi naturally obeyed the order and did not say a word to Yarjiang'a in person. However, when he said goodbye privately, he suggested to Yarjiang'a: "If I do a good job this time, I can go to the front line, right?"
Yaerjiang Ake didn't dare to make such a promise and said seriously, "The last time the border general went out without permission, how did he get caught? First, he was outnumbered, and second, the food supply was cut off by the Zunghars! Do you think your job is easy? Now that the army is moving, food and fodder are the most important thing! You must not think that 'supervising food supply is not as important as killing the enemy'! You are still young and will be the pillar of the country in the future. How can you have such a short-sighted idea?!"
He talked a lot.
Mingxi's family rules were very strict, and he was a man who understood the rules. Whether he was jealous or dissatisfied, he kept it in his heart and did not let it interfere with his work. After hearing that Yarjiang'a was right, he bowed seriously and said, "I was wrong. Thank you for your advice, Your Highness."
After observing him for several years, Yaerjiang'a finally breathed a sigh of relief, seeing how diligent and thorough he was in his work. With the Tong family's precedent, he was worried the Shi family would also be reckless. That would be a real headache. Back then, how many incidents had arisen within the court over the fate of Tong Guogang? Just be sensible!
He was so relieved too early!
This time, the Zunghars sent out the Grand and Grand Ce Lings, showing no sign of a peaceful end. No matter who became the leader of the Zunghars, their enemy remained the same—the Qing court, or rather, whoever occupied Beijing. The Zunghars wanted to be the masters of the world.
The big ones are strategic and the small ones are brave. Da Ce Ling was the one who intercepted the Qing army's food supply and made a fool of it. This time he had enough manpower and was going to repeat the same trick.
Mingxi, having received warnings from his father, uncle, and aunt-in-law before the expedition, received instructions from his uncle at the front, and was reprimanded by Yarjiang'a after receiving his assignment, was extremely dedicated to this humble duty of transporting grain. He was busy counting the troops and checking the amount of food and fodder, and he refused to slack off in the training of his troops, fearing that the Zunghars would rob the grain.
It could be said that under his supervision, the combat effectiveness of this transport brigade reached a new level. However, this was only a vertical comparison; compared to the vanguard battalion of the same period, there was still a significant gap. It was this very team that was copied by the quasi-military forces.
Mingxi followed the marching procedures strictly, sending scouts far ahead to explore the way. However, even the most attentive commander could only ask his subordinates to be more serious than usual. Amidst the general optimism and the self-deprecating and resigned attitude of the rear guard, tension still wasn't high enough.
The scouts didn't notice the incoming Junggar troops immediately, and by the time they realized something was wrong, it was too late to prepare. At this point, the standard procedure was to set fire to the food and fodder themselves, if they couldn't defeat the enemy, and never give them an advantage.
Mingxi decisively ordered the burning of the grain and fodder. The soldiers, shaking with fear, tried several times to light the fire. This alone wouldn't work. They didn't have much kerosene, so it was impossible to burn everything. The carts were arranged in a long line, so it was impossible to destroy them all in such a hurry. If they let the Junggars take advantage, it would be disastrous!
The superiors and subordinates exchanged bewildered glances. The civilian laborers transporting grain were still howling and wailing, causing chaos. Mingxi had killed several of them, but he still couldn't suppress the situation. Only the overwhelming pressure from the Zhun army made everyone feel that there was no way to escape, and they gathered together again.
"Destroy the car!" Mingxi gritted his teeth and ordered. "If I destroy the car, I bet you won't dare stay here long just to transport food!" As a logistics team, we still have tools. Because it's a long-distance transport, we have all the repair tools and materials. Now we're not using it for repairs, but for demolition. The wheels were removed, the planks were stripped into long strips, and the frame, which couldn't be dismantled in time, was piled aside.
While the craftsmen were busy, Mingxi ordered his men to form a circle around the dismantled carts, using them as barricades. They also set fire to the hay, using it as both a beacon and an obstacle.
That's all he can do!
When the Junggar troops arrived, they saw large carts piled with fodder on the periphery—which would be easier to light. They couldn't see the situation inside clearly.
The Qing army still had some bows and arrows, along with a few hand cannons. They fired a chaotic volley for a while, then fell silent. An air raid couldn't be delayed. The Junggars abandoned the frontal assault and instead moved to flanking positions. After a circular movement, they finally discovered the Qing army had formed another obstacle with a collection of miscellaneous vehicle frames.
The cavalry's charge had lost its advantage against these obstacles. Further inside, Mingxi had already directed his men to link together the grain carts that hadn't been dismantled in time to form a simple fortress.
In such an emergency, making such a decision was no easy feat. Mingxi also encouraged everyone: "The fodder has been lit, and it will surely be visible from afar! As long as we hold on for a while, reinforcements will arrive. Kill as many as you can, and you'll earn more military merit. They often say the rear guard has no chance, but now our chance is here, so don't give in! Act like men!"
After hearing what he said, the people who felt safe hiding behind the grain carts became excited again: "That's right! Aren't we here to get our heads cut off and make a contribution?"
A few junior officers even encouraged their confidants: "We are nothing, but that guy," nodding in Mingxi's direction, "the higher-ups won't dare let anything happen to him, they must send reinforcements."
Everyone was excited.
Then he was hit by a hail of gunfire and arrows, which cooled his excitement.
There was indeed a small outpost not far from the encounter. During the war, such outposts on the frontier were fully staffed. Seeing the thick smoke from afar, the first thing that came to mind was definitely not to go out and kill the enemy, but to close the door and light a signal fire to send a warning.
The news was incredibly fast, reaching the larger cities nearby in a matter of moments. At this point, those in the rear began to analyze: What exactly happened up ahead? Ah! Food and fodder just arrived...
It's bad! The army's lack of food isn't a big deal, it's because they didn't guard it well. The problem is, if something happens to the leader of the grain transport team, his family will think he didn't help. That's why they hurriedly reported it and called for reinforcements.
The grain transport team had limited arrows and ammunition to begin with, and they had initially wasted much of it in a chaotic and chaotic manner. Towards the end of the battle, Mingxi ordered, "Let them get closer before you attack. Don't waste arrows!" He bit his lower lip. Even so, he couldn't hold out for much longer. With a pale face, he said, "If the Junggars really charge in later, forget about everything else and dismantle these carts!" He had already been shot in the arm, and his face was covered in soot. He had lost a hundred or two of his men, and even more civilians.
His eyes were still fixed on the Junggar troops who were charging again. If they charged twice more, this place would be lost. At worst, he could die a heroic death for his country, but he couldn't bring shame to his family.
When Qingde received the news, he wanted to die! He finally understood how his uncle Shi Wenying felt when he ran away from the battlefield. It was really like "When he was lost, I wanted him to come back, and I thought of him standing in front of me, so that I could make sure he was okay. Then I stretched out my hands, pinched the little bastard's neck hard, cursed, and shook it forward."
He still tried to remain calm and said, "The army must not move rashly. How can we ruin the whole thing because of this child?! The camp has been set up. If we move rashly now, what if the Junggar's army attacks?" He was so anxious that he wanted to fly over to see his nephew.
When the reinforcements arrived, the Junggar were in the thick of a killing spree. They weren't fools, knowing they couldn't rob the grain, so they decided to kill! Their initial charge was thwarted by crude obstacles, so they dismounted, tossed the obstacles aside, and then, after a brief rest, charged again. They engaged the Qing army across the grain carts, nearly breaking through several times, only to be repelled by the desperate Qing troops and their civilian laborers. However, the Qing resistance weakened, and victory was within reach!
Some of the Junggar soldiers had already broken through the barriers, creating a gap in the grain cart circle. Seeing the reinforcements approaching, and their numbers were considerable, the Junggar quickly retreated, feeling a sense of regret: they hadn't been able to seize the grain, nor had they burned their own.
Although Mingxi was protected by his personal guards, he had been hacked many times, his body completely tattered. Qingde wanted to scold his nephew for causing everyone's worry, but seeing him like this, he swallowed his words. He turned back to writing letters home and submitting memorials, and he had to be careful with his wording, speaking in his nephew's name to Yinreng.
Fortunately, the food supply was preserved, with only some fodder lost. This outcome was acceptable; men would mutini without food, but horses wouldn't, right? Furthermore, although our side had suffered casualties in this encounter, we also killed a significant number of Junggar troops. Counting the number of heads, we reached two hundred, a significant victory.
It was all right to ask for credit. At least that was what Yarjianga thought. He had sent the people out, so he had to give an explanation.
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Mingxi recuperated nearby. His injuries were minor, not complex, but rather severe. He held out for most of the day, suffering from blood loss and intense stress. Once he was safe, he lay down.
The Qing army also began to retaliate, and the army began to advance. They showed ruthlessness, often deploying an overwhelming force to beat the small groups of Zunghars to death, forcing them to form large groups to protect themselves.
This was exactly what Yarjiang'a wanted. He knew that in terms of mobility, individual combat effectiveness, and even the strategic planning of his generals, the Qing army, which had been under his command for a long time, was no match for the ever-bullying Zunghars in Central Asia. His strength lay in his overall strength, with the support of such a large country, and a large number of soldiers and generals.
Playing dirty tricks will definitely not win. Sending a surprise attack to take the enemy general's head will only give the surprise attack to the enemy as a military achievement. Only by forcing the enemy into a decisive battle can the Qing army's advantage, which is lacking in quality but made up for in quantity, be fully utilized.
King Jian said to his cousins and nephews, "One force can defeat ten skills." Don't even think about being a hero. Come on together and fight in a group!
As Mingxi's injuries gradually healed, he began to protest, strongly demanding to stay at the front and refusing to return to the capital. Yarjiang'a sent Qingde to "appease" Mingxi, but Qingde smiled sinisterly and directly killed his nephew, who had made him so nervous.
He also knew that Mingxi wasn't to blame for the danger he encountered mid-journey. Mingxi's actions were indeed commendable, having ultimately saved the food supply and preserved the family's reputation. When the soldiers mentioned Mingxi, they all said, "He's truly ruthless. He fought until only a few men were left, yet he refused to retreat." Others said, "Don't be fooled by his playboy appearance; he's ruthless in his killing. Over two hundred heads—a significant achievement!"
Qingde still didn't dare send Mingxi to the front lines. His nephew's inherent character was truly worrying; he was determined to die rather than live in disgrace. This time, he was lucky; next time, he would die in battle. Qingde was truly worried about Mingxi staying behind.
Mingxi was sent back to the capital. Between recuperation and the slow journey, it took him three full months to reach the capital. He first stayed at a post station, where the imperial physician was waiting. The soldiers were far more skilled at treating injuries than the imperial physicians, who could only examine the wounds, prescribe a prescription, and soothe the entire body. Conditions during a military expedition were, after all, inferior to those in the capital, and his recovery was less than satisfactory.
His younger brother Ruixi, Qingde's eldest and second sons, and Guanyinbao's son Xiangtai all came to the post station to see their cousin and bring greetings from home. They gathered around the imperial physician to inquire about his injuries and breathed a sigh of relief when they learned that he needed to be recuperated and was no longer in danger of death.
He came back and reported to Fu Dali: "I have many wounds on my body, but they have all healed. It's just that I lost too much blood and need to recuperate. The imperial physician said that it's best not to move around in the near future, let alone go into battle." He also handed over the family letter that Qingde and his son had asked him to bring back, and said that they were both fine and asked their family not to worry.
Fu Dali knew that if his son survived, the ancestral hall would be opened to burn incense, so he put aside his anxiety and acted like a serious patriarch again: "I know, at least he did not disgrace the family. You should also take this as an example." He also took the opportunity to do some ideological and political work, educating his sons and nephews to bring honor and glory to the family.
After releasing his sons and nephews, Fu Dali ran to Xiluo Te to report: "Mingxi has returned. He has made some minor contributions and suffered a minor injury. The imperial physician will examine him soon. He is not seriously injured. After the audience with the emperor tomorrow, he will return to kowtow to the old lady."
Mingxi returned feeling rather uncomfortable. Much had changed at court. Honggui and Hongchen were engaged, and the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household Department, which were preparing for the wedding, had been assigned responsibilities. Hongchen was assigned to the Ministry of War, while Honggui was relegated to the Ministry of Rites. With many of the emperor's relatives and nobles accompanying him on the expedition, many positions had been vacant, and some had been filled.
Furthermore, this year was another major examination year, with over a hundred new officials entering the court. Those who had passed the imperial examinations in the previous year had also graduated from the advanced training classes, giving Yinreng even more helpers. Yinreng's plan to revitalize the officialdom was proceeding quite smoothly.
Yinreng summoned Mingxi to a private audience in the eastern warm room of the Qianqing Palace and asked him in detail about the military situation. Mingxi answered his questions one by one and especially praised Yaerjiang'e: "Prince Jian's teachings are very correct. If it were not for Prince Jian, I am afraid I would not have been able to prepare so thoroughly."
Yinreng chuckled. He was just kidding. On a march, what part of the job could be neglected? They were all important, but there was still a hierarchy of importance. Protecting food supplies wasn't as important as being a vanguard.
Mingxi also said that when he was fighting with the Junggar, he found that they also had a lot of firearms, and he suffered a lot of losses from this.
Yinreng said, "I see. Dai Zi has already supervised the production of another 300 hand cannons." It's a shame they haven't yet achieved the desired result. As an expert in this field, Dai Zi valued any suggestions for breakthroughs. What Shujia described as simple is truly the fruit of technological advancement. While Dai Zi was interested, he was limited by the current state of technology and couldn't produce the product he envisioned. He was currently completing his supervisory duties while conducting research.
"I see you're in good spirits, just a bit thinner. Go back and show it to the Queen. You can go home and recuperate. I'll need you again in the future."
Mingxi was very anxious: "My injury has healed, Master, please let me go to Xining again."
Yinreng firmly refused to agree: "It is not up to you to decide whether it is good or not. Your father is still at the front, and your sister (actually your cousin) must have someone in the family to support her marriage."
"I don't have anyone else at home, but I still have a few people. I'm not a big deal..."
Yinreng waved his hand and said, "Jia Yingxuan, take him to see the Queen."
Mingxi walked out unhappy.
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There was another war this year, and funds were tight, so the tour to the frontier was cancelled again. The royal family went to Changchun Garden to escape the summer heat and just returned the day before yesterday.
Shujia had a very shallow impression of her nephews and nieces from her mother's family; after they grew up, she had hardly seen them. A feeling of familiarity welled up in her heart, she looked at a stranger with a sigh, "I'm glad you're back." Mingxi had a handsome appearance, though a little thin. He was of medium height, still young, and in good shape; he looked like a typical young man.
"You haven't gone home yet?"
Mingxi didn't dare to look up and whispered, "Yes."
"They even hid it from me. If you hadn't come back, I wouldn't have known you had suffered so much before. Go back and take care of yourself. I'll also call an imperial physician to look after you for a few more days."
It was another matter of raising him. Mingxi felt helpless and kowtowed to express his gratitude.
Shujia asked about the situation at the front, but Mingxi only picked out the good news and ignored the bad. Shujia listened vaguely, and finally let him go when he had nothing more to say.
Hongxiu, however, was the one who spoke well of Mingxi: "Looking at Ming'er, he is truly loyal to his country. He will surely be a pillar of society in the future and will bring honor to the family." Her family was assigned to a branch of the Fudali family, and Mingxi would be her future boss when she retired.
Shujia was quite satisfied with her nephew, but it was not good for her to praise her own family. She said calmly, "He is a man who sticks to his job. Have you packed up all the things he picked out from the warehouse yesterday?"
Hongxiu was happy again: "Everything has been packed and listed one by one. This... I will send someone to run there right away?" The things were picked by Shujia herself to comfort her nephew. There were everything from medicinal herbs to rare curios to silk and silver.
"You should go there in person and see the old lady. I'm afraid she'll be worried."
"Yeah." The answer was crisp and clear.
Shujia, however, took Xiuniu and the others to the Eastern Palace. Hesheli waited patiently until the clouds parted and the moon appeared. On the ninth day of the sixth month of the ninth year of Changtai, she finally gave birth to a son. Now, a hundred days had passed, and the child was thriving. To boost the front's morale, the child's birth, every month and hundredth day, was celebrated with great fanfare, and the emperor announced it to the nation.
Arriving at the Eastern Palace, Shujia's eyes showed a hint of indifference. It was because Hesheli had become virtuous. Since she was pregnant and in confinement, it was inconvenient for her to serve, so she found a pretty maid from the Eastern Palace and gave her to Hongdan as his wife. She had a difficult pregnancy, but Hesheli had an easy pregnancy and was now four months pregnant.
A dispensable figure, originally, had to be reported to the Empress. Nong and Shujia found it rather boring, and their interest in their son's affairs in the backyard dwindled, their only concern being their grandson.
However, the story wasn't over yet. Today, near Hesheli, she saw another woman dressed similarly to the pregnant Zhao. Unlike the usual brown palace maid uniforms, she wore a royal blue cheongsam, topped with a jade-colored bodice. This bodice was new, and Shujia remembered it; it was Hesheli's original wear, presumably as a reward. It seemed... her son's backyard had been expanded again.
Shujia pretended not to notice and went off to play with the baby. But she decided to wait for Hongxiu's return and have her report on this "newcomer." The maids in the Eastern Palace were carefully selected, with Shujia making the final decision. They were generally honest. She could be trusted to serve, but she'd be more cautious about using them as concubines.
Hesheli felt relieved when she saw her mother-in-law's eyes pass over Wang without asking any questions. Wang herself was extremely nervous, but she felt a little disappointed when the queen didn't ask and Hesheli didn't introduce her. When she came to her senses, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were already circling around the baby.
Putting aside the palace gossip, let's just say Mingxi finally returned home and was once again surrounded by a group of women, led by the Xiluo family. His brothers and sisters-in-law were unable to make an appearance, but his mother and aunts were all present, and his wife's eyes were filled with concern. Mingxi's heart was filled with warmth. In the days that followed, this warmth, in the form of warm soups and drinks, surrounded him constantly, making him wish he could escape to the front lines to fight another battle.
The front, however, was not the battle he had imagined; instead, it had a lingering atmosphere. Yarjiang'a advanced relentlessly, and the Junggar, unwilling to sit still and wait for death, launched desperate assaults, intent on disrupting Yarjiang'a's plans. With each side making its own moves, their spheres of influence began to clash, creating a complex and entangled situation.
In the capital, Yinreng, after hearing Mingxi's vivid description, ordered Dai Zi to speed up the production of guns. It didn't matter whether there were any technological innovations or not. The firearms we possessed were already above average. These were the ones! Hurry, ship them to the front lines and add strength to the army.
At this moment, tragic news arrived: Li Guangdi was dead! The person who had taken the blame for him was gone.
Yinreng stood there in a daze.
The author has something to say: Is it early enough today?
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