Problems inside and out
Choosing who to send as a leader is a delicate matter. If you send a capable and ambitious individual, you risk a mutiny at Chenqiao. If you send an incompetent and incompetent individual, you'll be picking up a teammate who's as good as a pig. There's no worry of mutiny right now, and none of our own brothers are as stupid as pigs. But this raises another question: with so many people wanting to gild their reputations, who should they send?
Yinreng glanced at him.
Hongxi was the most eager to try. Obviously, his father and his brother could not go, and he was of the right age, so there was no reason for his father to stop him. As a prince, perhaps the only prince in the army, he had a great chance to take charge of the troops. Even if he could not be the commander-in-chief of the three armies, he could still be the deputy commander! He already had a wife and a son, was twenty years old, and was about to be knighted. He needed to have some military merits to give him a higher starting point for the title. He said loudly: "My son is willing to relieve Khan Ama's worries!"
The Tenth Brother knew what was going on. His wife was Mongolian, and he had even sent his niece back to his banner. He also took stock of his superiors. He felt that he could be the commander-in-chief. When he heard that Tsewang Abutan was sending troops, he was the most excited. His blood was boiling! Without thinking, he asked for the order: "Your humble servant is willing to lead the army!"
Thirteen and Fourteen were in their prime and also wanted to earn this credit. Thirteen was still in the Ministry of War, so the two of them took the responsibility and said, "Your humble servants also request this!"
As soon as these men opened their mouths, not only did the young and enthusiastic like the fifteenth and sixteenth brothers ask to go to the front, but also those who were editing books like the third brother and settling accounts like the fourth brother all patted their chests and volunteered. In addition to these close relatives, there were also iron-hatted kings like Yaerjiang'a and Nersu who also volunteered.
Yinreng wasn't too worried about not having any generals available; he had already identified several. He had put Qingde in charge of the Firearms Battalion for this very reason. He also had Fuerdan, who was also quite capable. The soldiers in the Eight Banners might not have been well-trained, but at the leader level, due to the emperor's constant demands, their basic skills were still good, and their academic abilities were also decent.
The difficulty lies in selecting the right kind of clan member to lead the charge.
Like Kangxi, Yinreng naturally wanted the long-term stability of his Aisin-Gioro family. When faced with such a situation, he naturally sent as many of his own sons as possible to train. However, these people, wearing yellow belts and even holding super-rank titles, would not only refuse to obey the generals' supervision, but if they started to argue with each other, it would cause trouble.
During the reign of Emperor Kangxi, the dispatched commander, Fuquan, had a poor relationship with his deputy commander, Yinzhi, and Fuquan was somewhat restrained, resulting in the first expedition leading to the escape of Galdan. Yinreng couldn't go alone, so he had to find a leader. Among his brothers, the third brother was useless, the fourth brother had other uses, the fifth and seventh brothers were always background figures, he was worried about the eighth brother, and he needed horses from several districts to carry the ninth brother if he wanted to travel...
Thirteen and Fourteen were decent enough. If they were allowed to take charge, where would the Tenth Brother be? Fifteen and under were too young, and they were already in charge of other duties. Yinreng himself had sons, but they were young and had only a short career in politics, so they might not be able to control the situation. He also had nephews, all of whom were young.
In the end, Yinreng appointed Yarjiang'a as the leader, with the Tenth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Hongxi, and Hongsheng as his subordinates. He also ordered Yarjiang'a to submit a list of royal family members, from which he selected many people to accompany the army. Each unit was also assigned a seasoned general to maintain order. Although Yarjiang'a was the commander-in-chief, he still had to listen to the experts on any opinions.
Those who were arguing with each other were all dumbfounded.
Too bad! Yaerjiang'a is in charge of the clan affairs office! You don't obey? He'll bear a grudge against you, and then come back to your house to inherit the title, register your household, get married, apply for a work permit for your concubine, or get into trouble with relatives... He'll make it difficult for you!
See if you are honest or not!
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When Hongxi went to the front, the person he envied the most was Hongtong. He was a young man with a lot of passion, but he was not allowed to go to the front to gain experience - he had to stay and get married.
With a sullen face, Hongtong didn't dare to challenge his father and ran to Kunning Palace to plead for mercy.
Shujia was both amused and annoyed: "What can I know about military and national affairs? You are really desperate and trying all kinds of methods! Just marry me your wife honestly and wait patiently! Your father has his own ideas. If you are suitable, how could he not use you? You are so impulsive, I dare not use you even if there is a job."
Hongtong came forward, pretending to be only half her age, squatted in front of Shujia, pulled Shujia's sleeve and shook it back and forth: "Good mother, dear mother, please mention me to Amati~~~~"
"I tell you every day, Amata, that you're about to get married, but you still haven't made up your mind."
Hongtong was extremely frustrated and decided to play tricks on Shujia by putting his big head on her legs and lying there motionless. Shujia was both angry and amused. When they were young, these children were afraid of her and thought Yinreng was easy to talk to. But as they grew up, they turned the other way around. If there was anything they would rather come to Kunning Palace to plead for mercy and save the country in a roundabout way.
"What are you so anxious about?"
Hongtong turned his head on Shujia's legs and said, "Son, if you don't hurry up, the battle will be over soon!"
"Is it so fast?" Shujia asked in surprise.
"That's right!" Hongtong stopped playing tricks and raised his head. "When the late emperor was alive, the first time the army faced Galdan, if that person hadn't opposed Prince Yuxian and made Prince Yuxian worried, with more effort, Galdan could have been captured and brought to the capital in a few months. That's how it was. Later, the late emperor personally led the army and won three great victories. Which of them took a long time?"
Hongtong was so excited that he sat down next to Shujia and said, "Mother, I want to build a career first and then start a family. If I miss this opportunity, I will never see it again. Now that the world is peaceful, it is not easy to find such an opportunity."
Shujia asked, "Have you told your father?"
Hong Tong said in a low voice: "I said it."
"Didn't agree?"
"No."
"Then don't get married?"
Hong Tong returned home in defeat.
Shujia didn't bother Yinreng about this. In fact, Yinreng had already been in the Qianqing Palace for a week and hadn't been to the harem. If you want to send troops, you need to mobilize them. Where will the troops come from? How will the weapons and equipment be distributed? What rations should the soldiers bring? A large army can't just rush out in a rush. You have to consider the supply situation along the way and the situation on the front lines. Send them forward one by one.
It was also because of the distance that Tsewang Abutan had to fight Lazang Khan for a while before he could free up his hands, and the court could act so calmly.
Even so, the group led by Yinreng was incredibly busy. Not only were those heading off to war busy, but Prince Yong, who oversaw the Ministry of Revenue, was also incredibly anxious. Seeing that the extra salt tax they'd collected last year was only a few dou, and now it had to be spent again this year, he was... heartbroken.
In addition, Yinreng also had to consider the security issues left behind when the army was away.
After finally gathering the troops and setting an auspicious date for the expedition, Yinreng also decided to personally escort the soldiers off. But then he received bad news: a border general had attacked without authorization and was defeated by Daze Lingdun Duobu.
Before the army set out, they received news of defeat! Yinreng grabbed the memorial and threw it to the ground! The eunuchs in the Palace of Heavenly Purity were immediately frightened into silence, not daring to make a sound or move, until Yinreng squeezed out a voice through his teeth: "Send it to Prince Jian, Prince Ping, the Second Prince, Prince Dun, the Thirteenth Prince, the Fourteenth Prince, and Fu Erdan!"
Although they had not yet been deployed to the battlefield, these people had already developed some military self-discipline and quickly ran over.
Hongxi lived closest and arrived first. As soon as he entered, he noticed something was amiss with his father. He was quite obedient, so he greeted them and then stood quietly aside. He wondered, "I just asked Lao Li about this. So many people have been summoned. What's the reason for this? Has there been a change in military intelligence?"
He actually guessed it right.
Since they already knew Tsewang Abutan was making moves, and the emperor had long been preparing for battle, with food and supplies already fully prepared, the border generals were eager. By the time the main force arrives, we won't even have time to eat a sip of soup. Looking at that long list of names, they're all here to grab military merit.
In a fit of rage, and seeing his own army's confidence and superior equipment, he actually thought of a successful opening. Once he achieved victory, even if Yarjiang'a and his men arrived later, they wouldn't be able to escape him. He had a reason: speed is of the essence in war, and opportunities are fleeting. If he didn't take advantage of Tsewang Abutan's general, Da Tsering Dundub, while he was locked in a fierce struggle with Lazang Khan, when would he wait?
This attack proves the saying: ideals are full, but reality is skinny.
It had been a long time since the Qing army had fought a war. Da Tsering Dundub had been constantly messing around, assisting Tsewang Abutan in bullying children in Central Asia, and occasionally even attacking their big friend, Russia. Failure was inevitable.
Soon, all the princes gathered. Yinreng quickly gave a briefing and then cursed: "You pigs! You dare to confront Daze Lingdun Duobu's 6,000-man army with only 2,000 men! You talk about attacking their rear! You've simply fallen into their trap!"
Da Ce Lingdun Duobu was a famous general, and he knew that the Qing court was prepared. How could he not be on guard against the Qing court's dishonesty?
This defeat cast a shadow over everyone's heart. In all their battles with the Dzungars, the Qing army had rarely suffered such a crushing defeat. Before the war, almost everyone was optimistic. Hongtong's plea to Shujia, though in a roundabout way, also revealed a message: the Dzungars were like wolves among sheep against the Mongol tribes, but the previous Dzungar Khan, Galdan, was like an egg against a rock when it came to the imperial court. A single battle could be decisive, without much effort.
The fact that so many members of the imperial clan requested to go to the front lines wasn't necessarily all for the sake of the country or to maintain the rule of this great family. Many saw this as an opportunity, one with low risk but considerable rewards. The perceived low risk of war suggested they believed their opponents were easily dealt with.
Now, Daze Lingdun Dobu used the blood of two thousand soldiers to slap a bloody handprint on the face of the Qing Dynasty, and also awakened the emperor and ministers in the palace who were still dreaming: Even if they lost the war, Junggar was not a pushover.
You know, Galdan's final defeat was largely due to Tsewang Abutan holding him back. Now there is no one who can hold Tsewang Abutan back.
After a long moment of silence, Yinreng finally spoke with difficulty, "The lesson from the Yin Dynasty is not far away. When you go there, don't underestimate the enemy!"
At this point, they considered another possibility: this could be a protracted war. Geographically, Tsewang Abutan controlled Xinjiang and Tibet, and his rule was vast, while the imperial court prioritized wealth over territory. Tsewang Abutan commanded powerful and arrogant soldiers and generals, while the imperial court had the advantage of a larger force and a steady supply of supplies.
They actually traded quantity for quality and used money to drag down the other party.
Yinreng encouraged them, "This time, they underestimated the enemy and advanced rashly, not because Daze Lingdun Duobu was so powerful. Can he be as powerful as Galdan? Galdan was defeated, so how long can he, a clown, hold out?"
After finally appeasing the higher-ups, Yinreng brought his fourth brother over and said, "Prepare more food and fodder, as well as winter clothes and tents for the soldiers... I'm afraid this battle will be a long one."
Prince Yong's face turned bitter. This battle had already cost him the extra salt tax. Was this going to be a long war? "I was thinking the extra salt tax would give me some time to relax. In that case, the salt law must be expedited. Judging from the Lianghuai salt laws, the ticket salt system is much stronger than the monopoly salt system, and I don't see any drawbacks. And right now, the country needs money..."
"OK!"
King Yong breathed a sigh of relief and went back to deal with the matter.
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The army left only after Hongtong's wedding. After the wedding banquet, everyone mounted their horses and set off. Hongtong, a groom, accompanied his father and brother to see them off, looking at the procession as if his bride were in it. Even more irritating was that, as soon as his wedding was over, his father-in-law also left with his troops, leaving him alone without schooling and no other duties. He was truly... indifferent to his wife.
A young girl from the Borjigit clan had just gotten married when the country was in turmoil. Her father went out to kill people and might be killed as well. Her husband was so upset that he shed tears secretly.
Shujia was kind to all her daughters-in-law, but she sent Zishang to Hongtong's house to help. Zishang would report back to Shujia when she returned, and she worried so much that she even lost her appetite.
She was now looking at her three daughters-in-law. Gegentana would often come to Kunning Palace, and she and Concubine Mao were desperately trying to get some news about the army from Shujia. Shujia only knew what Yinreng had told her: where the army had been today, and the battle reports from the front... How could she know when the battle hadn't even started yet?
With her own sons away at the front, Shujia cared far less about the war than about their love lives. Hesheli had failed to conceive again, and Borjigi's newlywed happiness was almost invisible. Fortunately, her two sons hadn't yet committed adultery, otherwise Shujia would have suspected something was wrong.
Perhaps because they were equally unhappy, or perhaps because their husbands shared the same mother, Hesheli and Borjigi, sisters-in-law, got along quite well. Hesheli heard a little about Hongtong and confided in her younger brother and sister-in-law: "My fourth brother wanted to join the army, and he begged Khan and Mother, but you both refused. He's angry with you, not with you."
Borjigin could only force a smile. Her newlywed husband was unhappy, which was almost the same as hearing the news of defeat when she was on a military expedition.
No matter how carefully the sisters-in-law spoke, a hint of what they heard was inevitable. Shujia, after careful consideration, called Borjigi over and said, "Becoming husband and wife is fate bestowed upon you by God. The rest of the journey depends on you. When you have time, think carefully about what he wants and how you can become closer to him. What's the point of just worrying?" She then instructed Hongxiu and Zishang to work on the two daughters-in-law's thoughts.
There are some things that are difficult to say by yourself, and that is when you need to ask your confidant for help. This allows you to express yourself without appearing frivolous or boastful, which may cause offence.
The two lived up to their expectations. Zichang said softly, "The Master and His Majesty are very busy. Although she can't look after you all day and night, she always has you in her heart and treats you as well as her own daughter. How many princes don't have concubines before they get married? How many concubines have a child who calls them "mother" as soon as they enter the family? The Master and His Majesty have paved the way for you, so how can you not take the first step yourself?"
Hongxiu said something different: "It's not easy to be a Crown Princess, but don't be impatient. The mistress is not unreasonable. She has also come through step by step and knows the bitterness and sweetness of it."
Hesheli and Borjigi received much guidance from Hong and Zi, and became close to them. Shujia also had more energy to attend to the Empress Dowager.
This year, Yinreng was not planning to tour the frontier. Wars were raging outside, and many troops had been dispatched, so he had to stay in the capital. The weather in Beijing was sweltering, and the Empress Dowager, with her frail constitution, could not withstand the heat and would surely fall ill. Everyone had already moved to Changchun Garden, and the two pregnant women from Hongxi's family felt much better there, but the Empress Dowager remained weak and listless, a cause for concern.
There were so many things going on inside and outside that it was really worrying. Yinreng was so busy that he couldn't help but roar at Hongdan: "None of these people can help!"
Hongdan smiled bitterly. All those who were capable of working were ordered around by you. The rest were not only incompetent but also harmful, and of course they were of no help.
Li Guangdi was old and did not dare to rest. He was on duty when it was time to be on duty and worked when it was time to work. At this moment, he was carrying a memorial box to the emperor: a military report.
The two armies were at a stalemate. Da Tseringdun Dob had been somewhat underprepared for the conquest of Tibet and was struggling to process the situation. The Qing army, however, was hesitant to act rashly, constantly gathering information, acclimating the army to the local climate, and even writing to the imperial court requesting the provision of medicinal herbs. Acclimation was a common phenomenon, and although this had been anticipated, preparations were still insufficient—imperfect imperial armies rarely ventured so far to attack.
Some medicinal materials could be obtained locally, requiring the state to provide funds for local procurement. Others had to be purchased inland, and the court had to purchase the medicines and then ship them over, adding another expense.
Yinreng let out a long sigh: "Where is Prince Yong?" Come and take out the money.
The author has something to say: Hey, there will be a twist in the next chapter~
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