Chapter 860: Imperial Heirs Have Much Blood and Violence

Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

The sunset was low, the evening glow was fiery red, broken like fish scales, smoky like blood, dense and dense, covering the western sky, diffusing an eerie beauty.

Since Jia Cong entered the city, the fast horses of the military reports were arrogant on the street, and he had a premonition that there must be changes in the northern military situation, so his mood was inevitably uneasy.

After chatting with Daiyu in the inner courtyard for a long time, he faded the oppression in his heart. By the time the sun set, night had fallen, and the red gauze lanterns under the eaves of the winding corridors were lit one by one, bright and red, shining like swimming dragons.

By the time he returned to the courtyard alone, night had fallen. The red gauze lanterns under the eaves of the winding corridors were lit one by one, glowing red and bright like swimming dragons.

Jia Cong walked on the stone path in the garden, leaving the warm fragrance and beautiful words of the sisters, his mind returned to calm, and he was not attracted by the night scene in the garden.

Just as he walked to the gate of the courtyard, he saw Qingwen walking lightly and gracefully along the pebble path from the direction of the second gate, walking towards this side.

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Why are you coming from the gate, and what are you busy with again?"

Qingwen said: "Cong Sanye, just now the housekeeper's wife sent a message to the inner courtyard, which was a bit awkward. The gate-keeping wife was worried about hearing it wrong, so she specifically asked me to go."

"Second Master asked the housekeeper to distribute small servants to inquire about news on the street during the day. These people returned to the mansion one after another, saying that no big news came out on the street.

But the Zhen'an Prefecture and the Five-City Military and Horse Division sent many yamen runners and soldiers, all patrolling the street. Many big roads have soldiers guarding them, looking different from the past.

Because it is still the beginning of the year, there are not many shops open on the street. After such a fuss, many have closed, and there are few pedestrians on the street now.

In addition, many soldiers came out of the northern camp, dense and dense, and after arriving at the northern city intersection, they separated and went to various city gates. The movement is not small.

Cong Sanye, the city is so strange tonight, is there something wrong? Otherwise, why would Cong Sanye ask people to go out to see the news?"

Qingwen's voice was emerald and pleasing, and her tongue was sharp and didn't stop, but Jia Cong was listening and not listening, only his thoughts were surging.

It seems that his guess is correct. The two waves of military report fast horses entering the city brought unusual news, otherwise there would be no such changes in the city.

Now that it is night, Zhen'an Prefecture and the Five-City Military and Horse Division suddenly sent yamen runners and soldiers, and even guarded various key roads, which is already a hidden curfew policy.

The northern camp Qingwen mentioned is the main camp of the Five Military Battalions in Shenjing, which is only a few miles away from the palace, stationed with nearly 100,000 elite Five Military Battalions.

Now that the Five Military Battalions are mobilized at night to urgently strengthen the defense of the nine gates, it can be seen that the urgent report today must involve the Remnant Mongols going south.

Otherwise, the imperial court would not strengthen the defense of the capital at night. Whether it is issuing a preparatory curfew or mobilizing the Five Military Battalions, it cannot be done without the Emperor's decree.

Jia Cong looked up at the sky, the night was getting heavier, it seems that something big is really going to happen...

"Qingwen, you ask the wife to send a message to the outer courtyard, ask the housekeeper to dispatch manpower, increase patrols in the mansion tonight, and close and guard all doors.

The corner gate should add two people to guard. Once something happens, report to the inner courtyard immediately, and let the housekeeper send someone to notify the West Prefecture, and handle all matters according to the same law."

Seeing Jia Cong's solemn expression, Qingwen was a bit worried, but didn't dare to ask more, and hurriedly went to the second gate to send a message.

Only after a while, the servants of the Jia family's East and West Prefectures moved, the doors of the inner courtyard were locked, the four doors of the outer courtyard were locked, and only the east and west corner gates were left to enter and exit.

By the time Ping'er and Wu'er returned to the East Prefecture, the small door connecting the two prefectures was also locked towards each other...

……

Shenjing, Beicheng, Zhao Wang Prefecture.

In the study of the Prince's Mansion, on both sides of the huge acid branch wood case, there were hundred-bird-facing-phoenix floor-standing bronze candle stands.

The candle stands were full of white short candles as thick as a bowl, bright and brilliant, illuminating the study as bright as day.

On the case was a map of the Nine Frontiers, the young Prince Zhao's expression was firm, and he was fully focused on checking the map.

Holding a vermilion small brush in his hand, he marked on the map from time to time, or wrote a few lines of small characters, looking like he was deducing the northern war.

Two waves of military report fast horses entered the capital today, causing a disturbance in the market.

Jia Cong could notice it. Li Zhongmao was the eldest imperial son, and even if he was a bit sidelined now, he had many eyes and ears in the city, so naturally he couldn't hide it from him.

Jia Cong was well-versed in military strategy and could deduce the trend of the northern military situation through the military report fast horses. Li Zhongmao's military strategy was not inferior to Jia Cong's, so naturally he could deduce it too.

He was originally a person with extraordinary military talent among the imperial sons, and had been stationed in the northwestern frontier for several years, with a wide reputation.

He judged the change in the Mongol military situation, and began to deduce according to the map, already in a state of leading troops to meet the enemy.

Ever since the major case of the Jinling Guard occurred, Li Zhongmao had been implicated by Zhang Kangnian, and suspicion and rifts had arisen between father and son, emperor and subject. His original military position and power had been greatly weakened by the Emperor.

The eldest imperial son who was originally deeply esteemed gradually slipped into a sidelined situation. This sudden psychological gap had to make Li Zhongmao vigilant.

Although he had the halo of being the eldest son, born of the Empress, with outstanding military achievements, and the support of the court, he was dazzling among the imperial sons and occupied all advantages.

It was just that the major case of the Jinling Guard had implicated him in some suspicion, not enough to make him lose the Emperor's favor, fall into a crushing defeat, and never be able to turn things around.

What's more, Zhang Kangnian was dead, and his actions had no evidence pointing to himself. As the eldest imperial son, there was no reason to dismiss him without evidence.

But even so, the Emperor's doubts were hard to remove, so he treated him coldly. If this lasted for a long time, it would cause a heavy blow to his prestige.

Inside and outside the court, civil and military officials were all people who saw the wind and steered the rudder. By then, there would be no more public expectations, and from then on, he would be discouraged.

After all, the Emperor didn't just have one son...

Prince Zhao Li Zhongmao was noble, born in glory, grew up in glory, with literary and martial arts, outstanding among the imperial sons, and had been smooth sailing all his life.

Inside and outside the court, civil and military officials all hinted that he must be the one to ascend the throne.

Although he was taught by the Empress and didn't dare to show any color about this, deep in his heart, he had long determined this, which was a matter of course.

Having been noble for many years, praised by everyone, and expected by the public, it had become a psychological set deep in his bones. If he lost it one day, it would be unbearable.

The haze buried in his heart made him restless and gradually gave birth to violence and knots. For the past six months, Li Zhongmao had been thinking hard about how to reverse the current decline.

Empress Jingde, the biological mother of Prince Zhao, naturally stood firmly on her son's side, but she had been a husband and wife with Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao for half her life and knew the Emperor's temperament well.

So how to reconcile the father-son relationship, the Empress also did it carefully, for fear of letting the Emperor have more suspicions.

Including the death of the former Princess Zhao, the Empress re-selected a consort for Prince Zhao, also acting cautiously and fairly according to Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's mind, not daring to leave half a handle.

For Prince Zhao to borrow the birthday banquet to ease the relationship with court officials and nobles and restore the lost public expectations, the Empress also agreed.

The Empress also bestowed the treasure of the Phoenix Palace, that rare coral treasure tree, to her son as a birthday gift to add luster to his birthday banquet.

But these silent actions were at most moistening things silently, and it was difficult to achieve the merit of reversing the situation.

……

Since the early morning court announced the capture of the military grain depots, Prince Zhao Li Zhongmao saw the opportunity in it.

He is a recognized natural famous general in the court, and he has been stationed in the northwestern frontier for several years, with a wide reputation.

Still in his twenties, he led 100,000 troops to station in the land of Tibet, confronting the 60,000 elite troops of the Chahan tribe of the Remnant Yuan.

In Hezhou, he killed the King of Yu of the Chahan tribe, beheaded two thousand, captured fifteen nobles of the Chahan tribe, killed more than 40,000 enemies, and shocked the northwest.

His military achievements were still above Jia Cong's pacification of the Jurchens, and his depth of training and leading troops was also something that Jia Cong, who was in the age of dancing, could not match for a while.

Among the young generals of Da Zhou, Prince Zhao Li Zhongmao was the well-deserved first person, and no one in the court would deny it.

In the beginning, Li Zhongmao relied on military achievements to win unparalleled glory among the imperial children.

Now that he is washing away the haze, the best way to achieve it is military glory.

Moreover, no matter if it is his royal status or his ability to lead troops, he is not inferior to any famous general in Da Zhou.

Therefore, when the military grain depot incident broke out in the early morning court, he was unwilling to miss the heaven-sent opportunity.

Not only did he request to fight in the court, but he also closed the door to guests on the eighth day of the birthday banquet, to deal with state affairs, and made a full gesture.

These few days, except for entering the palace to see the Empress, he closed the door to guests and did not go out.

Every day in the study, he carefully studied the map, used his heart to deduce the war situation, and was eager to lead the army to fight the Mongols, determined to win.

……

Just as he was fully focused on deducing the map, someone knocked on the door outside the study, and the person who came in was the Prince's Mansion Historian Feng Xishan.

Now it is also sunset, and Li Zhongmao was slightly surprised by the historian's appearance at this time.

He said: "Historian Feng, can you also hear the news of the military report entering the city today?"

Feng Xishan's expression was solemn, and he said: "I have received news from the Five Military Commissions that Prince Batu of the Tuman tribe captured Xuanfu Town on the fifth day, and the garrison of the military town was completely annihilated.

Anda Khan has led the army south and has captured Hongshu Collection. According to their marching speed, approaching Shenjing is imminent."

Hearing this, Li Zhongmao had no trace of worry, his eyes shot out scorching light, diffusing rolling fighting spirit.

He said: "He is really bold. Da Zhou has been established for a hundred years, not as weak as the former Song. Soldiers come to block, water comes to cover, if you want to fight, then fight!"

Seeing Li Zhongmao's strange expression, Feng Xishan was secretly shocked in his heart and said: "Prince, besides this, news has just come from the palace.

The Emperor received the military report from the Ministry of War before sunset, learned that Xuanfu Town had fallen, and the Remnant Mongols slaughtered the city, with more than 40,000 soldiers and civilians suffering, and he was so angry that he vomited blood and fainted."

Hearing this, Li Zhongmao's face turned pale instantly, and then his eyes flashed with essence, and he asked urgently: "How could this happen? Is the Father Emperor safe now!"

Feng Xishan lowered his eyes and said: "There is no news about the Emperor's condition, only that Li Chengming, the head of the Imperial Hospital, has been urgently summoned into the palace for treatment.

Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding held the Emperor's token and carried the Ministry of War's tiger tally to enter the Five Military Battalions to mobilize elites and go to the nine gates to strengthen vigilance.

The roads are full of yamen runners and soldiers from Zhen'an Prefecture and the Five Military Commissions. Many places in the north and east of the city are already in a state of semi-curfew."

Li Zhongmao's expression was uncertain, walking back and forth in the study, his gait becoming more and more solemn, and the atmosphere became strange and oppressive.

"Historian Feng, this situation is a bit wrong. Even if the military situation in the north is urgent, there is no need to mobilize troops at night.

Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding is the Emperor's confidant general and has never been easily used, but he was asked to mobilize troops at night to strengthen the defense of the nine gates. This is too unusual.

Could it be that there is something unspeakable in the palace..."

Feng Xishan was calm and said: "The Prince is a son, and worry is human nature.

The Emperor is a diligent and wise monarch, who works hard and worries about the country. There have been many rumors in the past that the Emperor's health is slightly unwell.

But in the view of this humble position, even if the health is deficient, it will not be that he will be unable to support himself after hearing the bad news, and something unspeakable will happen. This matter remains to be verified."

…… ===== CHAPTER 861 =====